Mining Engineer

Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Lakewood, Colorado.

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Duties

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As Mining Engineer, GS-0880, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to:

• Provides expert technical advisory, consulting, reviewing services for solid energy and mineral assessment and development efforts on Indian land within all area jurisdictions nationwide, as well as on a regional basis.
• Furnishes technical advice regarding statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures for energy and mineral development.
• Plans, directs, and coordinates examinations of Indian lands for purposes of locating economically viable solid energy and mineral resources.
• Prepares comprehensive technical and economic analysis, reports, and presentations regarding solid energy and mineral projects on Indian land.
• Evaluates, monitors, and reviews tribal energy resource development programs, including the feasibility of planned projects, budgets, appropriateness of proposed work, and acceptability of deliverable products.
• Maintains "state-of-the-art" knowledge of new methods, software, technologies, markets, and taxes that are involved in the development of solid energy and mineral resources.
• Serve as liaison with tribes, attorneys, industry, and federal agencies.
• Provides technical training on mineral development to both technical and non-technical personnel within BIA and the tribes.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated
• A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
• If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
• Incumbent is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 3 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.
• AN INCENTIVE MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AT MANAGEMENT DISCRETION. A SERVICE AGREEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards)

Basic qualification requirement for GS-0800 Engineering positions in the Federal government.

Degree in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelors 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.

OR

Qualifying combination of relevant professional engineering education and experience as demonstrated by current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.

OR

Qualifying combination of relevant professional engineering education and experience as demonstrated by having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

OR

Qualifying combination of relevant professional engineering education and experience as demonstrated by having successfully completed 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the specified courses as listed in response 3(a).

OR

Qualifying combination of relevant professional engineering education and experience as evidenced by having successfully completed a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field (e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology), PLUS at least one year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement for GS-0800 Engineering positions, you must meet the minimum qualification requirements to qualify for this GS-880-13 grade position.

1 year of specialized experience that equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Examples include: technical analysis of solid mineral projects; economic evaluations of mineral agreements; geological or geotechnical assessments; program, project, or contract coordination; interpretation of mineral regulations; preparation of technical reports and recommendations; and tribal/federal consultation or negotiation.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: FOREIGN EDUCATION

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2026 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Lakewood, Colorado. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is None.

The probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Programs provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (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. For more information visit:

SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY: Certain candidates may be eligible to apply under a special hiring authority including those for disabled individuals, Peace Corps employees, Foreign Service employees, veterans, etc. For more information, visit the following OPM websites: USAJOBS Information Center: Vets Info Guide:

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.