Assistant Engineer (Environmental) / Engineer Trainee - NY HELPS

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation seeks an Engineer Trainee/Assistant Engineer to support flood risk reduction programs. You will assist with FRR project rehabilitation, collaborate with USACE, and provide water resources engineering support to the Bureau of Flood Protection & Dam Safety.

Under supervision of a Professional Engineer, you will help respond to flood emergencies, facilitate inspections, and develop hydrologic models to assess flood protection measures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or engineering technology or equivalent.
• One year of full-time engineering experience or FE exam with qualifying degree.
• Strong hydrologic and hydraulic modeling skills; familiarity with 1D/2D modeling.
• Familiarity with ArcGIS, hydrologic modeling methodologies, and related docs.

Responsibilities

• Assist with response to flood emergencies and prepare emergency response procedures.
• Facilitate Army Corps inspections of NY FRR projects; review inspection reports.
• Prioritize FRR project maintenance to comply with federal requirements.
• Review Flood Control Land Use permit applications and provide technical assistance.

Skills

Hydrologic modeling

ArcGIS

MS Access

Communication skills

Education

Engineering degree or engineering technology

Tools

HEC-HMS

HEC-RAS

ArcGIS

Real estate maps

Job description

Duties Description

Assist with programmatic support for various flood control and flood risk reduction (FRR) projects, built by United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which are maintained and operated by DEC in partnership with local communities. Provide project management support for various FRR project rehabilitation work and new FRR projects undertaken by DEC in partnership with the USACE and provide overall support for the Flood Control Projects (FCP) Program. Provide water resources engineering support to the Bureau of Flood Protection & Dam Safety as needed.

Description

Duties Description

Assist with programmatic support for various flood control and flood risk reduction (FRR) projects, built by United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which are maintained and operated by DEC in partnership with local communities. Provide project management support for various FRR project rehabilitation work and new FRR projects undertaken by DEC in partnership with the USACE and provide overall support for the Flood Control Projects (FCP) Program. Provide water resources engineering support to the Bureau of Flood Protection & Dam Safety as needed.

Under the guidance/ supervision of a Professional Engineer, perform the following duties:

• Assist regional staff with response to flood emergencies and in the preparation of emergency response procedures, as assigned or as directed by senior staff.


• Facilitate and assist with Army Corp of Engineer inspections of New York State FRR projects. Review, evaluate,catalog, and archive inspection reports.


• Prioritize necessary FRR project maintenance and repairs necessary to remain in compliance with federal requirements.


• Review and process Flood Control Land Use (FCLU) permit applications and provide technical assistance for issuance.


• Provide technical assistance to facilitate FRR project operation, maintenance, repairs and upgrades, prepare and review real estate (survey) maps and documents, and evaluate state and federal environmental permitting requirements required for the construction/rehabilitation/modification of FRR projects.


• Provide consultants, project managers and contractors with technical support to complete necessary repairs.


• Conduct reviews of technical and administrative aspects of flood control engineering studies, designs,specifications, proposed work, and operation and maintenance manuals. Effectively document and communicate findings and provide comments/responses to these documents.


• Support routine state-led FRR inspections including conduit video inspections and relief well testing to determine maintenance needs.


• Develop contract packages for routing through State government. Manage state funded repair and maintenance projects.


• Prepare and present information related to the FRR projects to government agencies, consultants, interest groups,and the public. Address inquiries, complaints and issues raised by the regional offices, the public and municipalities about FRR issues.


• Develop and review hydrologic and hydraulic models to evaluate impacts of proposed flood protection measures or project improvements on water surface elevations.


• Develop and review hydrologic and hydraulic models used to produce FEMA compliant floodplain mapping and flood risk identification products.


• Develop and review engineering analyses necessary to demonstrate compliance with local, state, and federal floodplain and floodway development engineering standards, including performing no-rise floodway analyses.


• Review hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and the associated Resilient NY reports to evaluate flood mitigation and risk reduction projects.


• Assist and provide support to the Division’s and the Bureau’s emergency response coordinator on flooding events.


• Assist the Dam Safety, Floodplain Management, Resilient NY, and Coastal Erosion Management programs in the Bureau as necessary.

Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

To be eligible for appointment under NY HELPS, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications below:

Minimum Qualifications For Appointment To Engineer Trainee, NS

Either 1. A bachelor's degree or higher in engineering or engineering technology as listed below;

Or 2. Proof of passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time engineering experience as listed below.

Qualifying degrees: Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering Technology, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Engineering Technology, Environmental Design Engineering, Environmental Resources Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering, Forest Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Paper Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Soil and Water Resources Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or Engineering Science with a recognized concentration in any of the above listed engineering degrees.

Qualifying experience: One year of full-time experience in sanitary, public health or environmental engineering.

Minimum Qualifications For Appointment To Assistant Engineer (Environmental), SG-20

Proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND a qualifying bachelor's degree or higher as listed below; OR proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time qualifying engineering experience as listed below.

Qualifying degrees: Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering Technology, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Engineering Technology, Environmental Design Engineering, Environmental Resources Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering, Forest Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Paper Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, Soil and Water Resources Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or Engineering Science with a recognized concentration in any of the above listed engineering degrees.

Qualifying experience: One year of full-time experience in sanitary, public health or environmental engineering.

Candidates may also be appointed via the following, if applicable:

Reassignment - Currently in the title and an employee of DEC

or

Reinstatement - Previously held the title on a permanent competitive basis.

or

Transfer – One year of permanent competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer in accordance with Section 70.1 of Civil Service Law.

55 b/c Appointment - Must meet the minimum qualifications above. Please note that if applying under the 55b/, candidates must include with their resume or application, a copy of the letter from Civil Service which indicates approval for the 55b/c program.

Individuals appointed as an Engineer Trainee are required to complete a minimum of one year of successful performance as an Engineer Trainee and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. If you pass the FE by the end of the first year, you may be advanced to the Grade 20 Assistant Engineer (Environmental) title. If you do not pass the FE by the end of the second year of the traineeship, you will be terminated from your position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrate effective organization skills. Establish and maintain effective inter-personal relationships, and constructively interact with multiple federal, state, and local government officials, emergency managers, the public, and various interest groups.


• Strong hydrologic and hydraulic modeling skills. Familiarity with both 1D and 2D modeling software programs.


• Familiarity working in ArcGIS and understanding construction plans and specifications, real estate (survey) documents, contracting documents, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling methodologies, geotechnical engineering, and geography.


• Familiarity with advanced modeling software such as HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS.


• Familiarity with database management programs including the MS Access.


• Familiarity with Flood Risk Mitigation measures.


• Experience working in a team setting, and interacting with the public.


• Demonstrates good time management and organization skills.


• Ability to work independently on individual assignments/projects.


• The ability to explain complex technical projects and concepts to a non-technical audience.

Additional Comments

If appointment is at the Assistant Engineer, SG-20 level, the starting salary for this position is $84,532. This amount is comprised of the base salary of $77,532 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location.

The job rate for this position is $105,354. This amount is comprised of the base salary of $98,354 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location.

Please note, this is not extended to any trainee titles.If appointed at trainee level, you will receive differential upon advancement to grade 20.

Must have a valid driver’s license or demonstrate the ability to meet the transportation needs of the position.

Must be able to negotiate difficult terrain.

Must be able to work in remote areas.

Must be able to work in adverse weather conditions.

Travel may be required.

Overtime may be required.

Overnight travel may be required.

Weekends and holidays may be required.

Must be available for emergency response.

Must be available to respond to after-hours emergencies.

Telecommuting may be available up to 50% of work schedule, will be discussed at interview.

We offer a work-life balance and a generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including:

• Holiday & Paid Time Off


• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)


• Pension from New York State Employees’ Retirement System


• Shift & Geographic pay differentials


• Affordable Health Care options


• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost


• NYS Deferred Compensation plan


• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, and U.S. Savings Bonds


• And many more...

For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Our work would not be possible without the diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and abilities of our employees. DEC is committed to developing a workforce which represents the diverse population of New York State. DEC embraces a diverse and inclusive work environment by encouraging all individuals, including those with disabilities, to apply to open positions at the agency.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to request that a reasonable accommodation be provided for you to participate in a job interview, please email: [e-mail].

Please be advised, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does not use E-Verify, and we are unable to provide sponsorship for employment visa statuses (i.e. H-1B, Self-Sponsorship, STEM OPT).