Civil Engineering Technician

Civil Engineering Technician
Location: NRCS Field Office Woodstown, NJ
Classification: Full-time (35 hours/week)
INTRODUCTION

Natural Resources jobshiringnearme.org Service (NRCS) and the DelAtlantic jobshiringnearme.org District have a shared and complimentary mission to assist land users to conserve their soil, water, and related natural resources.
The DelAtlantic jobshiringnearme.org District is a New Jersey state organization seeking to hire a civil engineering technician to work as a partner employee. The partner employee would be housed in the NRCS Woodstown field office serving both the Woodstown and Vineland field offices and perform tasks as assigned by the NRCS District Conservationist.
As an Engineering Technician (Civil) in the designated office at the field level, the primary responsibility is to design engineering practices, prepare engineering drawings, compute quantities, and assist field office personnel in the Application of engineering practices.

MAJOR DUTIES
Technical Assistance (40%)

• Provides engineering technical assistance for preliminary site investigations and conservation planning. Defines site limitations, design data, criteria, and applicable laws or regulations. Develops alternative solutions for solving complex resource management concerns in the areas of erosion control, water management, agricultural waste management, water quality and irrigation.
• Provides quality control services including layout, material testing, and construction checks in order to ensure adherence to technical standards. Explains construction details to field office personnel, landowners, and contractors.
• Prepared designs are reviewed and approved by NRCS for compliance with NRCS technical standards, accuracy of information, completeness, and feasibility of construction.
• Provides technical guidance and direction to field office and district staff in the planning, design, and construction of engineering practices with supervision.
  Surveys and Site Investigations (20%)
• Assists with engineering design surveys, construction layout, and construction checks. Defines type of survey and detail and accuracy required to meet design and construction needs.
• Based on field evaluations, determines the type, scope, and intensity of field investigations and surveys needed.

Design (20%)

• Assists with collection of field data and assures adequacy of collected data. Sees that procedures and products conform to current NRCS policy and standards. Prepares site specific engineering designs, drawings, and specifications.
• Performs drafting and other graphical work on a computer-aided drafting system. Maintains state-of-the-art knowledge in the use, application, and management of computer hardware and software applicable to available computer-aided drafting (CAD) systems. As necessary, trains others in the use of the system. Maintains the system equipment and the supplies for the system with supervision.
• Documents layout and construction in conservation assistance notes or job diary. Documents completed work to higher graded supervisor or similar authority for certification and approval.
• Computes quantities associated with projects designed in the field office. Exercises judgment in selecting and applying standard methods of computation for quantities such as concrete, earth fill, and excavation. Checks quantity computations made by others for accuracy and completeness.
• From rough sketches provided by engineers, or other field office personnel, develops standard drawings for area use for a variety of conservation practices. Employee independently determines the layout of the standard drawings and details needed to adequately construct the practices. Standard drawings are developed on the CAD system.

Training (10%)

• Supports engineering training needs for various field office personnel. Helps to provide engineering instruction in the use of the National Engineering Manual, the Engineering Field Handbook, Agricultural Waste Manual Field Handbook, State Technical Guide, and various technical releases and handbooks. Supports training in surveying and engineering equipment usage. Participates in training program for students and new technicians assigned to the duty station
• Provides informal training and assists with formal training of field office personnel, district personnel, and others in the private sector in the technical aspects of soil and water conservation.

Engineering Quality Control (10%)

• Coordinates with engineering specialists in performing NRCS quality reviews of conservation practices. Checks engineering work of field office personnel with supervision.

Other
Performs duties in a manner supportive of civil rights policy without regard to political affiliation, race, color, religion, sex, marital status, age, handicap, or national origin. Supports and participates in the broad spectrum of safety and health program activities. Complies with all appropriate safety and health rules and regulations in the performance of assigned tasks.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT – Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator’s license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position. This will require the operation of a motor vehicle on both public and private roads during daylight hours and occasionally after dark.

Qualifications:

• Knowledge of survey techniques, including use of electronic survey equipment, in order to independently gather field data, perform layout, verify construction of conservation practices and systems, and resolve difficult but well-precedented issues.
• Knowledge of construction techniques, contracting procedures, and NRCS quality assurance policy in order to read plans and understand construction and material specifications.
• Knowledge of construction safety policy and requirements in order to perform installation, testing, and maintenance duties.
• Knowledge of NRCS engineering technical standards, methods, and procedures related to the investigation, design, and construction of conservation engineering practices in order to implement conservation practices.
• Knowledge of NRCS policy and procedures related to the planning of conservation practices in order to assist in the development of conservation plans.
• Knowledge of engineering-related computer systems, e.g. CAD systems and others, in order to prepare designs for conservation practices.
• Ability to apply the fundamentals of mathematics, science, and engineering in order to design solutions to resource problems.
• Ability to prepare concise construction drawings, including the use of computer assisted drafting techniques, in order to facilitate the construction of conservation practices.
• Ability to work effectively with co-workers, contractors, partners, and landowners in order to provide for the efficient installation of conservation measures.
• Thorough knowledge of the grammatical usage of the English language.
• Ability to carry out work as directed.Ability to pass a Federal Background check and Employment Eligibility Verification
• Must possess a valid New Jersey drivers license.

education: Associates Degree or equivalent.
Recommended: Graduate of an accredited college with a Bachelor Degree or Associates Degree in Agriculture, Engineering, Natural Resource sciences or related field. Bachelor’s degree should include at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, engineering or industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, surveying, physical science or mathematics. 6hrs of drafting is recommended.

Physical Demands:
Regular physical exertion in an outdoor setting is required. Walking long distances over rough terrain under a variety of weather conditions is to be expected. Sitting at a desk or drafting table for long periods of time is occasionally required. Driving to work assignments may take up to three hours one way.

Work Environment:
Work is often performed out-of-doors with regular exposure to heavy equipment, noise, adverse weather, and rough terrain. Protective equipment is necessary on construction sites. Exposure to farm animals, insects, and poisonous plants and snakes can be expected. Environment can vary from agricultural fields to the urban setting. Office work is performed in the Woodstown and Vineland NRCS Field Offices.

Terms of Employment:
Full-time position 35 hours per week
Salary – $52,500 per year
Insurance – Health, Rx, dental
Pension – NJ Public Employees Retirement System
Unemployment and Disability as per NJ State Policy
Position located at NRCS-Woodstown field office