Civil Engineer

Bureau of Reclamation; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Bureau of Reclamation in Billings, MT seeks a Civil Engineer to support dam, irrigation, water treatment projects. Travel up to 1 week per month may be required. Must meet ABET-acceptable engineering education and related experience per IOR.

Opportunities to lead technical reports, drawings and project schedules within multidisciplinary teams. Applicants should have strong foundations in hydraulics, materials, and engineering fundamentals, with readiness to coordinate with clients and

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited engineering education is required or combination of education/experience as described in IOR.
• Coursework in calculus and engineering science as part of degree requirements.
• Qualifying experience for GS levels includes engineering principles applications and technical report development.

Responsibilities

• Developing and reviewing technical specifications and bid schedules using industry standards.
• Serving on multidisciplinary teams to carry out civil engineering projects, including preparation of technical reports.
• Managing project plans and schedules, coordinating with stakeholders to identify issues and keep schedules and budgets on track.

Skills

Engineering principles

Dams and irrigation facilities

Drawing preparation

Quantity estimates

Technical reports

Client coordination

Education

ABET-accredited engineering program

Calculus and engineering science coursework

Professional registration or licensure

Tools

Bid schedules

Job description

You will serve as a Civil Engineer.

You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1 week per month.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/03/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Basic Educational Requirements (IOR)

A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by 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. You must submit transcripts.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience: C

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:

• Professional registration or licensure
• Written Test
• Specified academic courses
• Related curriculum

For further information on the adequacy of such background demonstrated by one of the above listed are found in the link below: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800/

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the respective grade level, you must meet either A, B, or C for the grade/s to which you are applying.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

GS-5 Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-05, all applicants who meet the basic education requirements described in the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) are fully qualified for the GS-05 grade level.

A. GS-7 Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-07, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Applying engineering principles to assist with performing civil engineering facility examinations and inspections of dams, irrigation systems, or water treatment facilities;
2. Supporting preparation of drawings, quantity estimates, or technical reports.

-OR-

B. Education:

You may substitute education (education that is directly related) for experience at the GS-07 level if you have achieved:

• One year of progressively higher level graduate level education.
• Superior Academic Achievement at the baccalaureate level in an engineering program (For more info: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4f)
• Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering.

-OR-

C. Appropriate Combination of Graduate Level Education and Experience:

A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level that is related to the position and that totals 100% of the requirement for this grade level.

A. GS-09 Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Supporting preparation of drawings, quantity estimates, or technical reports; AND
2. Coordinating minor project planning efforts with clients and external stakeholders under engineer supervision.

-OR-

B. Education:

You may substitute graduate education for experience if you have achieved:

• A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate professional experience that is related to the position.
• 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree. -OR-
• Master's or equivalent graduate degree.

-OR-

C. Appropriate Combination of Graduate Level Education and Experience:

• A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (only successfully completed graduate level education beyond the first year is creditable towards meeting this requirement), and specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level that totals 100% of the requirement for this grade level.
• A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate Professional Experience.

A. GS-11 Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Developing and reviewing technical specifications and bid schedules using industry standards.
2. Serving on multidisciplinary teams to carry out civil engineering projects, including preparation of technical reports; AND
3. Managing project plans and schedules, coordinating with stakeholders to identify issues and keep schedules and budgets on track.

MUST MEET ALL.

-OR-

B. Education:

You may substitute graduate education for experience if you have achieved:

• 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree.
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

-OR-

C. Appropriate Combination of Graduate Level Education and Experience:

A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (only successfully completed education beyond the second year (or 36 semester hours) is creditable towards meeting this requirement) and specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level that is related to the position and total 100% of the requirement for this grade level.

GS-12 Specialized Experience:

To qualify for the GS-12,