Summary This position is located on the Construction Staff of the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD), Federal Highway Administration in Sevierville, Tennessee. The employee serves as a Materials Engineering Technician performing tests on various highway materials both in the field and laboratory. Responsibilities As an Engineering Technician (Materials), you will: Perform complex laboratory testing on various materials used in or affected by highway construction. Use various standard or modified AASHTO, ASTM, or special provision procedures and equipment used in the preparation, design, and evaluation of materials for specific project requirements. Calibrate and set-up test equipment, including non-standard equipment used for special provisional testing, examine recorded data for unusual responses which may indicate malfunction of the test equipment, and make appropriate adjustments or arrange for repairs. Interpret and report results of tests performed along with appropriate recommendations and notations concerning materials acceptability and any peculiar characteristics so that valid decisions can be made on incorporating the materials into projects. The ideal candidate will have experience in performing complex laboratory testing on various materials used in highway construction. The candidate will have practical knowledge and application of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), and other standard specifications, testing, and mix design procedures, standards, methods, and practices; skill in operating and maintaining various types of test equipment including familiarity with safety aspects of equipment and chemicals used so as to ensure a safe working environment; and the ability to interpret, summarize, and report on test results. The incumbent will have experience in test scheduling and maintaining Quality Management System requirements. The candidate will have active certifications in concrete and lab testing and will be a self-starter, can multitask, and is a team player. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for consideration. You must meet specialized experience to qualify. Required documents must be submitted by the closing date. Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade requirements contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Time in grade requirements for the GS-9 position can be met by experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location. 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: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed). GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires regular lifting of heavy sacks of soil and aggregate samples. Normal weight of the samples is 40 pounds but this is often exceeded with sacks of material up to 70 pounds. Constant stooping and bending with 20 to 40 pounds weights is required. The work requires regular handling of asphalt mixtures and liquid asphalts samples, hazardous chemicals and solvents, high temperature ovens and hot plates, and liquid asphalt. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is performed in a laboratory. The incumbent is exposed daily to high level noise and dusty dirty conditions. The incumbent must safely handle fumes, odors, hot liquids, and hazardous chemicals. Exposure to low level radiation and hazardous chemicals is a daily occurrence. Equipment, if not properly used, could pose a threat to the incumbent’s health. Qualifications Individual Occupational Requirements for series 0802 (for positions at GS-4 or equivalent and above): This series covers technical positions supervising, leading, or performing work involving applying a practical knowledge of the methods and techniques of engineering or architecture; and construction, application, properties, operations, and limitations of engineering systems, processes, structures, machinery, devices, and materials. 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. 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. For more information refer to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/engineering-technical-series-0802/ To determine if you are eligible, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume, and/or upload the applicable education documents, or you may be deemed ineligible. For the GS-09: On Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level, which included: Experience applying American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), or special provision procedures and equipment used in the preparation, design, and evaluation of materials; AND Experience performing laboratory tests and interpreting and reporting test results on a range of material typically used in highway and bridge constructions, such as soils, aggregates, bituminous mixtures, asphalt cements, and concrete; AND Experience providing recommendations for modifications in materials sampling and testing. Note that specialized experience requirements can be met by qualifying experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no intervening GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location. Time in grade requirements for the GS-9 position can be met by experience at the second lower grade level (GS-7), since no GS-8 level positions exist in the normal line of progression for this occupation in this organization/location. Or on Education, you must have at least two (2) full years of graduate education or a master's degree or equivalent with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, construction, or industrial technology. You can also have a combination of the graduate education and specialized experience listed above. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will also be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Materials Engineering Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of highway materials testing equipment, techniques and procedures. Knowledge of AASHTO, ASTM, and other standard specifications for highway construction materials. Technical Competence: Skill in operating various types of highway material test equipment in a laboratory environment. Communication Skills: Ability to coordinate work and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing within a team environment. For all types of consideration, 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. Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date. Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education Graduate Education - To qualify for GS-0802 positions based on graduate education, the field must be directly related to the position. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-TECH Additional Information TELEWORK: Telework for this position is typically only allowed in emergency situations and for some construction assignments that are conducive to telework. If allowed, the number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. 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 § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete 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, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation.