Environmental Engineer

About the role

Want to have positive impact working in diverse environments? Join us at IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction! We collaborate with American Indian Tribes to plan, design, and construct water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities.

Visit *** or email *** is eligible for the IHS Student Loan Repayment Program with selection based on IHS priorities and available funds. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

What you will do

• Civil and Environmental Engineer Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) This announcement is identified as a position needed in support of Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) projects specifically funded by Congress through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), subject for a Term of 2-4 years that may be extended up to 10 years subject to Agency determination.
• This position is being announced concurrently under Excepted Service/Merit Promotion procedures.
• Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-27-HQ-13101050-ESEP/MP for eligibility requirements.
• The incumbent will be responsible for collaborating with American Indian Tribes to increase and maintain access to water, wastewater, and solid waste facilities by: Performing planning, design, and construction oversight activities for community and individual water supply, wastewater, and solid waste facilities.
• Visiting tribal communities where projects are being planned and constructed.
• Reviewing work prepared by technical staff.
• Estimating costs and materials necessary to construct sanitation facilities.
• Preparing engineering reports.

Requirements

• Selectee may be subject to a trial or probationary period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Must have a valid State driver's license.
• It must be REAL ID-compliant.
• This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children.
• Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• Confidential Financial Disclosure Form may be required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit ***
• Must have a viable bank account at a financial institution for electronic direct deposit of salary payment.
• Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
• A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
• Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.
• Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.
• Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification.
• If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package.

Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit ***

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Structured Interview: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process. To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process.

Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience. Below is what applicants can expect: ________________________________________ 1.

Minimum Qualifications Review - Hurdle 1 HR reviews your resume to confirm you meet the minimum qualifications for the position (education and/or experience, listed above). Note: the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications. If you meet minimum qualifications, you move to the next hurdle.

2. Technical Assessment (Structured Interview) - Hurdle 2 A panel of subject matter experts (SME) will review your resume to determine whether you clearly show the required specialized experience listed below.

GS-09 - Experience in designing new construction or improvements to existing facilities; assisting in resolving issues with contracts and construction activities; and evaluating designs and specifications to ensure conformance with project requirements and budget. Note: SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume.

SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

A panel of trained interviewers will ask all applicants the same set of job-related questions to determine if you possess the following competencies: Building and Construction Civil Engineering Written Communication Click here to view vacancy questions: ***

All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 12/08/2026, to be considered.

Documents you must provide

• You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
• If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties.
• Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.
• Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements: Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records.
• For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432.
• Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
• Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy).
• To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (***) along with the appropriate supporting documentation.
• For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: ***
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: ***
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application.
• You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.
• Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable.
• Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• Superior Academic Achievement: If claiming eligibility for Superior Academic Achievement, candidates must provide copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) must be included at the time of initial application.
• If unable to obtain transcripts, candidates must provide sufficient evidence to validate courses completed and credit hours earned.
• Eligibility is based on one of the following: Class standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision and based on completed courses.
• Grade-point average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a G.P.A. of: a.) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (''B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b.) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
• Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society - Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed here Association of College Honor Societies.
• Official transcripts may be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 12/08/2026

What to expect next

Stay Updated with Text Alerts You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature: - Log in to your USAJOBS account. - Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences. - Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages. Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications.

Standard messaging rates may apply. You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation.

You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. 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 check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement. If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

Additional information

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This is a Term, Not-to-Exceed (NTE) two-year appointment as an Environmental Engineer with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The appointment may be extended in two-year increments, up to a maximum of 10 years. At management's discretion, the appointment may also be converted to a permanent position without further competition.

Salary is contingent on duty location. Pay Tables Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee.

IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a one year service agreement will be required. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines.

This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - *** You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?

In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?

Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).