Supervisory District Engineer
Bemidji, MN - USA
Job Summary
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 . The position 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)
This position is being announced concurrently under Delegated Examining procedures. Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-26-HQ--DE for eligibility requirements. As the District Engineer the incumbent will be responsible for directing planning managing and coordinating the program mission to oversee the design and construction of complex water sewer and solid waste projects to American Indian Tribes by:
Total Compensation Package - Check out IHSs outstanding total compensation package for this job: Civil and Environmental Engineer Total Compensation Pay ()
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two-year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
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.
A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
Confidential Financial Disclosure Form may be required.
The selected individual is required to obtain any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment the employee will be subject to adverse actions up to and including removal from Federal service.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities visit 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 individuals 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 drivers license it must be REAL ID-compliant.
To qualify for this position your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.
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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience including volunteer and part-time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):
A. Degree: 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
B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education training and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering and (2) a good understanding both theoretical and practical of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
- Professional registration or licensure -- 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. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g. State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example an applicant who attains registration through a State Boards eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
- Written Test -- Evidence of 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.
- Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical mathematical and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
- Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelors degree in an appropriate scientific field e.g. engineering technology physics chemistry architecture computer science mathematics hydrology or geology may be accepted in lieu of a bachelors degree in engineering provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience e.g. in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one-year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks:
GS-13: Experience providing expert technical advice and guidance to management and staff concerning operational issues of community and individual water supply wastewater or solid waste facilities; preparing design documents construction drawings technical specifications and procurement documents; and preparing/reviewing engineering reports and cost estimates for funded projects.
Selective Factor: In addition to the qualification requirements to be rated basically qualified for the position applicants must demonstrate possession of the following knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs):
- Professional and comprehensive knowledge of the theories principles practices and techniques of civil/environmental health and engineering as evidenced by possession of a Professional Engineering (PE) license issued by any U.S. State the District of Columbia Guam or Puerto Rico.
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. 08/24/2026
This position has an education requirement. 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: 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
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.
Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a one-year service agreement will be required.
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 is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit.
This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps visit the website at: 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 - 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 Presidents 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).
This position requires a review of the applicants financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility maintain good standing with creditors and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.
Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including but not limited to delinquent federal or state tax liabilities defaulted federal student loans court-ordered fines or fees or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
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.
Required Experience:
Manager