PATHWAYS STUDENT INTERN (Civil Engineer)

This is a Student Internship position under the Pathways Internship Program.

To qualify for this Internship, you MUST be a continuing student enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the current/upcoming semesters for the duration of the internship as a condition of employment, taking at least a half-time course load. You will be required to provide documentation to support eligibility. Students may be employed throughout the academic year.

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.
• GS-07: Completion of one academic year of graduate level education; OR eligibility under the http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Policies">Superior Academic Achievement* provision, as defined in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Operating Manual for Qualification Standards, and completion of a bachelor's degree. 

*Superior Academic Achievement for GS-07 eligibility option:  (Bachelor's degree) - In the upper one-third of graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0, as recorded on official transcript, or based on courses completed during final 2 years of curriculum; OR a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of 4.0, based on average of required courses completed in major or required courses in major completed during the final 2 years of curriculum.

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.
• At the graduate level (above a Bachelor's degree), 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 for GS-07. 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 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. Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
2. Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
3. Computer Skills - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.

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 link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP

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

Responsibilities:

Are you ready to start your career in a Federal Agency that consistently ranks high as a best place to work? Do you want to make a difference designing and overseeing construction of roads, bridges, and trails in National Parks, Forests, Wildlife Refuges, and Recreation Areas? Since the early 1900’s our mission at the Office of Federal Lands Highway (FLH) of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has been to build safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient access to our Nation’s treasures! Our partners rely upon us to solve and manage unique program and project challenges that are wide-ranging in environment, geography, and complexity, through engineering solutions that are sensitive to the context of the land. For more information, visit https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/careers.  Western Federal Lands Highway Division #WeWorkWhereYouPlay!

These internships are headquartered in a FHWA Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) office. Assignments may be performed at any of the WFLHD projects located in the Western states.

The ideal candidates are current students pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering or a related field (Construction Engineering Management, Geomatics, etc.) and has a desire to learn about the various aspects of highway engineering including design and construction of highways, trails, and bridges.

The Pathways Student Trainee (Civil Engineering) will intern in support of the development, acquisition, construction, or post construction phases of projects. Duties will vary depending on summer assignment.  Most interns will be assigned to the construction branch, but some may be assigned to an engineering discipline in one of the additional areas noted below.

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

Construction

• Inspect and test assignments on construction projects.
• Perform field sampling and test construction materials.
• Participate in partner meetings.
• Serve as an instrument operator or rodman on construction survey of projects or monitor contractor stakeout, including staking of centerline, slope staking, drainage staking, structural staking, and setting of grade stakes.
• Compute and balance quantities.

Highway Design

• Prepare roadway plans and quantity calculations, title sheets, plan profile sheets, alignment layout, supplementary drawings, earthwork calculations, and pipe and box culvert structure detailing.
• Compute curves and traverses.
• Assemble plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) documents.
• Perform basic drafting.

Materials

• Log in samples, prepare samples for testing, monitor testing procedures, and record data of materials such as concrete, soils, asphalt, and roadway aggregates.
• Visually inspect materials and determine sizes to be crushed; lift and handle samples; observe and operate sieve shakers.
• Retrieve and compile data.
• Research past mix designs and compile comparison data.

Survey

• Assist survey crew.
• Perform basic engineering computations using formulas, hand held calculators, and electronic survey equipment.
• Serve as instrument operator and/or target cube holder on construction survey and/or engineering stakeout of project or assist in monitoring contract stakeout. 

Planning and Programming

• Collect and assemble data.
• Assist in preparing damage site assessments and reports for Emergency Relief projects.
• Prepare environmental compliance documentation.
• Prepare agreements for projects.

Bridge Design, Management, and Inspection

• Prepare project specifications and perform design and quality check on PS&E packages.
• Prepare field assessments, gather information, and perform preliminary scoping of projects.
• Compile structural analysis and design of concrete, steel, or timber bridge components.
• Use Microstation CADD to prepare bridge plan sheets. 
• Perform calculations of quantities and basic engineering calculations.
• Operate bridge inspection equipment, take and record data, develop sketches and prepare required reports.
• Perform structures inventory and evaluate data.

Hydraulics

• Perform Hydrologic and Hydraulic design calculations.
• Assist in developing drainage design and Storm Water Management Plans.
• Prepare technical reports and cost estimates.
• Prepare project specifications and review of PS&E packages.
• Gather project site information, inspect construction, confirm post-construction BMP installation, or identify assets.
• Review and summarize permits or correspondence from regulatory agencies.

Salary : $34,803