Civil Engineer Intern

Job Summary

This is a Student Internship position under the Pathways Internship Program at the Central Federal Lands Highway Division, which covers 14 central and western states including Hawaii. The position will be primarily located in the office in Lakewood, CO with site visits to projects within our area of jurisdiction. You will be assigned to one of the following teams: Bridge, Geotechnical, Highway Design, Hydraulics, Pavements/Materials, or Safety. In this position, you will gain practical skills and experience in civil engineering that will be the foundation of your career.

About the Position

The Pathways Student Trainee (Civil Engineering) will intern in one of the following areas:

Bridge Design and Inspection

• Perform quantities and basic engineering calculations.
• Operate bridge inspection equipment, take and record data, develop sketches and prepares required reports.
• Perform structures inventory at sites and evaluate data.
• Use Computer Aided Design (CAD) software to prepare bridge plan sheets.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Geotechnical

• Perform geotechnical design calculations and technical reports.
• Perform project site geological and geotechnical mapping, logging, borehole data and samples; sketch details of test pit investigations; obtain data from geotechnical instrumentation; operate hand tools for field investigations; collect, bag, and label soil and rock samples in preparation for shipping; and perform other geotechnical field assistance.
• Enter field data into Geotechnical software programs.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Hydraulics

• Perform Hydrologic and Hydraulic design calculations.
• Assist in developing drainage design.
• Prepare technical reports and cost estimates.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Highway Design

• Develop roadway design packages that include horizontal and vertical alignment, superelevation, 3-D modeling of the project, and creation of surfaces.
• Perform project site visits to review preliminary designs.
• Create construction plans and quantity calculations using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Pavements/Materials

• Prepare design and construction recommendations for new and rehabilitation pavement projects.
• Conduct pavement field investigations.
• Log in samples, prepare samples for testing, monitor testing procedures, and record data of materials such as concrete, soils, asphalt, and roadway aggregates.
• Retrieve and compile data.
• Research past mix designs and compile comparison data.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Safety

• Perform safety calculations.
• Perform project site visits to review highway safety.
• Research safety countermeasures and provide recommendations to Highway Design.
• Assist in development and review of Plans, Specification, and Estimate (PS&E) packages.

Project Delivery Support

• Duties include a variety of activities in Project Delivery.
• Review technical civil engineering project design documents and submittals, identify civil engineering problems, and provide recommendations for corrective actions.
• Update GIS maps and figures for research tasks.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet the requirements of the program.
• You must be at least 16 years of age
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date

PATHWAYS ELIGIBILITY - To be eligible for appointment to a position in the DOT Internship Program, throughout the duration of the appointment, an individual must:

• Be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution on a half to full-time basis (as determined by the educational institution).
• Be seeking a degree that is relevant to this position.
• Be able to work at least 16 hours per week, depending on your academic schedule, and preferably full-time during the summer.
• Grade qualifications must be met prior to start date.

If selected you:

• must sign a Pathways Internship Program Participant Agreement;
• may be employed throughout the academic year;
• must maintain status as a current student;
• must maintain good academic standing, at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 grading scale.
• must furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and
• must provide verification of academic status (transcript) at the end of each academic term.

For more information on the Pathways Program, please visit:

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP:Must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must beregistered for the Selective Service.
• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
• DECLARATION FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT: Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment.
• TRIAL PERIOD: The intern is in a trial period throughout the entire Pathways Internship appointment.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
• DRIVER'S LICENSE: Applicants are required to possess and maintain a valid, State-issued Driver's license and a safe driving record.
• WORK SCHEDULE: Full Time / Part Time. Some assignments will require varied schedules, i.e. weekends, evenings and night work. Schedules may be full-time during the summer, and part-time flexible, or Leave without Pay, during the school year (based on agency needs).Pathways intern hours worked cannot interfere with academic studies.

Qualifications

Please be sure that you have read and meet the Pathways program requirements under the Requirements section. Then, to further meet the minimum qualifications for this position, review the following education requirements and grade specific requirements to determine full eligibility before applying:

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must be pursuing a degree in professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; 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.

You then must meet the education requirements for each grade which you are requesting consideration for:

• GS-02: Completion of high school or GED diploma.
• GS-03: Completion of one academic year of post-high school study.
• GS-04: Completion of two academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree.
• GS-05: Completion of four academic years of post-high school study leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree.

Academic Year Clarification:

• At the undergraduate level, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. When academic credit is expressed in units or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the institution.

You may use 2024/2025 in-progress semester/quarter hours to qualify for a higher grade level. Qualifications will be determined based on completed and in-progress hours stated on your unofficial transcript submitted at the time of application. To be qualifying, you must successfully complete and receive credit for the courses and provide an updated official transcript before you enter on duty.

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:

1.Civil Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as pavements, bridges, culverts, and tunnels.

2.Communication - Includes written and oral communication, partnering, negotiating, interpersonal skills, and teamwork

3.Learning - Uses efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills, uses training, feedback, or other opportunities for self-learning and development

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 Pathways Internship Positions, please click on the following

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the start of the internship.

Education

Refer to the Qualifications and Requirements section for information pertaining to the Pathways Internship Program.

Additional information

Anticipated starting date of the internship is May/June 2025.

PLEASE NOTE: This announcement establishes an open continuous vacancy announcement for Student Trainee (Civil Engineer), GS-0899-2/3/4/5. Given our continuing need for Interns, we will routinely review applications and refer the top candidates for potential interviews during the open period of the announcement. Review and referral of applications will be completed on an as needed basis with the initial review occurring 15 days after the opening date.

WORK SCHEDULE: Pathways intern hours worked cannot interfere with academic studies. Interns may work either full-time or part-time hours.

This is an Excepted Service Appointment. As part of the Pathways Internship Program, the appointment may be extended until the selectee's educational program requirements have been completed. The student intern may be converted, without a break in service to a term (time-limited) or permanent appointment upon graduation, to a position that has a career ladder targeted up to the GS-12, provided they are a US citizen who has worked at least 640 hours in an appropriate program and receive a favorable recommendation from the supervisor for retention. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this internship. The selectee is on a trial period while on a Pathways Internship appointment.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level.

Once you complete and submit your application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the job.Qualified students will be referred to the hiring manager in unranked order by veteran preference status:(1) Preference eligible having a compensable, service-connected disability of 10 percent or more; (2) all other candidates eligible for 10-point veteran preference; (3) candidates eligible for 5-point veteran preference; and (4) candidates not eligible for veteran preference.

You will not be considered for the position if any part of the application or supporting documentation is incomplete.Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or adverse action after hiring.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• How to Apply
  
  You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.
  • To begin, click the Apply Online button on the job announcement posting.
  • Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
  • You may review your saved application(s) at
  If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Automated Staffing Office
  
  Phone
  
  Fax
  
  Email
  
  Address
  
  DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
  
  Submit Application and Documents Online
  
  1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
  
  Washington, District of Columbia 20590
  
  United States
  
  Next steps
  
  Once the application process is completed in its entirety, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the basic qualifications. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews.
  
  If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly.Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
  
  Fair & Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

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