CIVIL ENGINEER

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior

Other Engineering

Lakewood, CO, USA

Posted on Aug 22, 2026

Summary

The Bureau of Reclamation expects to fill 26 vacancies in the following groups: Project Management, Plant Structures, Water Conveyance, Civil Structures, Water Treatment, Waterways and Concrete Dams, Construction Management & Specifications, Applied Hydrology, Sedimentation & River Hydraulics, Geographic Applications & Analysis, Geotechnical Design, Concrete & Structural Laboratory, Materials & Corrosion Laboratory, and Hydraulic Investigations & Laboratory Services.

Major Duties

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to prepare analyses (including evaluating performance of existing structures or as a basis for design development) and/or engineering policies pertaining to, designs, drawings, proposals, scopes of work, specifications, and cost estimates for heavy-civil and power generation projects throughout the planning, design, construction, operation, and emergency response phases. Advises senior leadership, program officials, and colleagues on engineering analysis, recommendations, and study conclusions. Develops technical guidelines and standards, technical memorandums and reports and/or project or study objectives, engineering study analyses and results, correspondence, publications, design criteria, operating procedures, evaluation and oversight reports, value study reports, inspection and assessment reviews, impact assessments, construction plans and reports, and/or develops other written technical briefings. Provides technical organizational representation and collaboration on teams external to the organization, including external stakeholders and partners. Provides technical reviews, peer reviews, and checking of designs, drawings, engineering analysis, and technical documents, specifications, and contract correspondence, ensuring documents are accurate and quality assurance processes were followed. Provides technical direction, leadership, mentorship, guidance, training, and advice to engineers and technicians and other internal and external stakeholders. Establishes collaborative working relationships with stakeholders to ensure that their needs are heard and addressed, modeling leadership. Leads the creation, coordination, and documentation of the Project Management Plan, ensuring accountability by defining complex project scope, objectives, schedule, budget, quality expectations, resources, communication protocols, and risk management strategies Monitors, evaluates, and oversees complex project execution to ensure technical quality, cost control, schedule adherence, and compliance with standards. Includes reviewing operations, tracking progress, integrating project activities, inspecting costs and performance, and ensuring deliverables meet organizational expectations. Leads project decision-making, issue resolution, and continuous improvement to support mission success. Covers identifying alternatives, resolving problems, leading change management, recommending process improvements, and providing guidance to project managers and cross-disciplinary teams for complex projects. Identifying and addressing issues prior to adverse impacts to the schedule and budget; and leading technical teams.

Education

This position does not allow substituting education for experience. This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, your school must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U. S. Department of Education. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

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/. You must submit a resume and supporting documentation. You must meet any minimum education and experience requirements. You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements. You may currently hold a Professional Engineering registration or license and submit a copy to provide proof. You may currently hold an AMPP/NACE Cathodic Protection Technician (CP2) credential or AMPP/NACE Certified Coatings Inspector (CIP2) credential and submit a copy to provide proof. *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Civil Engineering Oral Communication Project Management Written Communication To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a structured resume review and a structured interview. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. DUE WEIGHT: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

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 09/07/2026-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/13040986 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 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.

What to Expect Next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -09/07/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed 2 single-sided pages and resumes longer than 2 pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessments. Performance Appraisals and Awards: All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If the performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months OR no performance appraisal is available, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level). All College Transcript(s). Eligibility Documentation: Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s. Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): If you are applying under LMWFA, you must submit ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment verifying the Position Occupied code 1-Competitive Service (block 34); AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each period of temporary employment claimed, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles MUST submit proof of eligibility including a copy of the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and most recent SF-50 showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For more information visit: Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.

Other Information

Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Bureau of Reclamation - Wide - This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional Bureau employee, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP), Current or former time-limited employees eligible under Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information. All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.