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Interdisciplinary (Cost Estimator)

US Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District
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This is a civilian position. You must be a US Citizen.

Do you have an interest in becoming a regional expert/mentor and/or do you have experience in preparing construction cost estimates?  Base on the applicant pool and needs of the organization, we are hiring engineers from recent graduates (GS-7/9) to experienced cost experts (GS-11/12).  If interested, submit your resume clearly addressing specialized experience while customizing the rest of resume to show duties listed in the announcement.  You also need to upload unofficial transcripts. 

This position is in the USACE Cost Engineering Center of Expertise located at the Walla Walla District Corps of Engineers and is comprised of motivated and talented employees that provide cost engineering services for the USACE and other eligible agencies on a wide variety of project types.

Recruiting for: (0801 General Engineering; 0810 Civil Engineering; 0819 Environmental Engineering; 0830 Mechanical Engineering; 0850 Electrical Engineering)

Open & closing dates: 10/24/2024 to 11/06/2024

Apply Here: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/815184300 

Salary: $49,025 - $124,061 per year

Pay scale & grade: GS 7 - 12

Promotion potential: GS-13

Duty Location: Richland, WA or Walla Walla, WA

Recruitment Incentives May be Authorized!

Duties:

  • Plan, direct, coordinate, and prepare Government cost estimates on Invitations For Bids (IFBs), Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Modifications, and Change Orders for Contract Management and Lifecycle Baselines for Project Management purposes.
  • Estimating projects include civil works flood control, hydropower, environmental and navigation projects, Work for Others (WFO), Support for Others (SFO), and Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste (HTRW).
  • Prepare cost accounting information for customers concerning the cost of the requested estimating service.
  • Works within Product Delivery Teams (PDT) preparing cost estimates for project related needs.
  • Organize and plan estimate format and details using prescribed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
  • Correlate all factors involving estimating assignments with the engineering and construction factors of individual jobs, resolving and clarifying questions and problems which have bearing upon estimates.
  • Assist in the development of project activity schedules.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • This position requires the incumbent to be a Professional Engineer, Certified Cost Engineer (CCE) or Certified Cost Consultant (CCC) before being promoted to the target GS-13 level.
  • An annual Financial Disclosure Statement is required.
  • Must obtain and maintain a valid state issued driver's license.
  • Upload proof educational requirement is met. (Typically, transcript showing date degree awarded).
  • Must be able to get and maintain a Department of Energy (DOE) RL Security Badge if selected for the Richland location

Qualifications:

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Interdisciplinary - Cost Estimator - General, Civil, Environmental, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineer:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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:

1. Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), 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.

2. 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, or Puerto Rico.

3. 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.

4. 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 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.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

GS-7 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) performing basic engineering computations or calculations; OR 2) gathering data from engineering field investigations; OR 3) documenting engineering project results. Computations, calculations, data gathering, or documenting results can be for either an academic setting or on-the-job, including internships.

OR

Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience

Additional ways to meet specialized experience provided in the questionnaire along with further definitions of the above options.


GS-9 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes 1) performing engineering analysis and computations or calculations; OR 2) creating engineering reports; OR 3) assisting with engineering designs.

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Civil, Environmental, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineer.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience

Additional ways to meet specialized experience provided in the questionnaire along with further definitions of the above options.

GS-11 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes experience applying fundamental engineering theories, principles, concepts, standards, and/or construction/architecture methods. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Civil, Environmental, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineer.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

GS-12 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes experience applying fundamental and advanced engineering theories, principles, concepts, standards, and/or methods to cost product development to prepare cost accounting estimates. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For the GS-12, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education:

Pending Selective Placement Factor: This position requires the incumbent to be a Professional Engineer, Certified Cost Engineer (CCE), or Certified Cost Consultant (CCC) before being promoted to the target GS-13 level. This is NOT required for the GS-11 or GS-12 level. If you have it already, mention it in resume.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information:

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • This position requires you to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) Construction, Engineering, and Infrastructure Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.htm for more information.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
  • Management may select at any of the grade levels announced.
  • Noncompetitive promotion potential to target grade.
  • This position is covered under the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Bargaining Unit.

How You Will Be Evaluated:

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.

Required Documents:

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:

  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
  • This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

How to Apply:

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 11/06/2024 to receive consideration

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12585767).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.