Supervisory Mechanical Engineer

U.S. Department of the Interior; Grand Coulee (WA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region, is seeking a senior mechanical engineer to oversee complex construction activities at Grand Coulee.

The role involves field inspections, coordinating with civil and electrical teams, and ensuring compliance with engineering standards, safety regulations, and project specifications. Travel to construction sites is required; a valid driver's license and COR certification within one year are part of the position.

Qualifications

• Eligible for U.S. citizenship and background check.
• Must have valid driver's license.
• Professional Engineering (P.E.) license or registration required.
• COR certification within one year of employment; training provided.
• Selective Service registration for males born after 1959.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level oversight of complex mechanical construction activities ensuring quality, safety, and standards.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and prioritize work; support training and development.
• Coordinate mechanical, civil, and electrical construction activities and resolve technical issues.
• Review construction documents, submittals, and methods for feasibility and compliance.
• Represent the group in meetings with contractors and stakeholders and monitor progress and reporting.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Leadership

Field inspections

Contract administration

Regulatory compliance

Job description

Summary

This position locates in the Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region (PN), Office of the Regional Director, Construction and Engineering Group (CEG-1020000) located at Grand Coulee Field Office in Coulee Dam, Washington. You may be required to travel overnight away from home for the purpose of visiting construction sites, performing field work, and attending meetings. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

Major Duties

At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: Provide senior-level oversight of complex mechanical construction activities, ensuring contractor work meets engineering standards, technical specifications, safety requirements, and environmental regulations across multiple regional projects. Lead and supervise a multidisciplinary workforce, including mechanical engineers and construction control personnel, by assigning and prioritizing work, establishing performance expectations, evaluating completed work, and supporting employee training and development. Coordinate and integrate mechanical, civil, and electrical construction activities, resolving technical issues, interpreting plans and specifications, and recommending adjustments to maintain quality, schedule, and cost objectives. Serve as the region's principal technical expert for mechanical engineering, reviewing construction documents, design specifications, contractor submittals, and proposed methods to assess feasibility, compliance, and project impacts. Conduct field inspections and project monitoring to verify contractor progress, identify and document deficiencies, recommend corrective actions, and ensure thorough and accurate reporting of project activities and installed materials. Support contract administration by collaborating with Contracting Officers to monitor contract performance, evaluate change requests, provide technical recommendations, and ensure that construction activities satisfy contractual requirements. Represent the Construction Engineering Group in meetings with contractors, project staff, and stakeholders, providing authoritative guidance on technical issues, compliance expectations, project status, and resolution of construction concerns. Physical Demands/Work Environment: The work involves no physical demands in the normal office work structure; however, occasional visits to construction projects and associated work sites may be required. Visit to construction sites may involve stooping, climbing stairs and ladders, and walking on uneven surfaces, slopes, scaffolding. The position is a motor-vehicle operator position. Work is primarily performed in an office setting, although there are field visits to construction sites and other facilities. Occasionally performed field work includes exposure to a wide variety of industrial work environments and weather conditions; hot and cold, rain and snow, mud and frozen ground, noisy machinery, and moving of heavy construction equipment. Travel may involve transportation in light and commercial aircraft, and overnight travel may result in a varying environment. The employee is responsible for the safe operation of motor vehicles. Driving must comply with the requirements established by Reclamation. Travel to and from field locations is required.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. 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, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. 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. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Must have a current Professional Engineering (P.E.) license or registration. Must obtain a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) certification within one year of employment, training will be provided. You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles. This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period. *Additional Requirements located under Additional Information*

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 any additional assessment(s) required for this position. 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. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Mechanical Engineering Problem Solving Technical Competence Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. 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. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

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) on 10/13/2026 - 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