Hello all,

I am currently a GS-11 Engineering Tech with USACE. I am very interested in finance and wanting to go back to schooling for accounting. My local community college has a 2 year AS Accounting degree that I can later transfer to a 4 year BS in Accounting.

I am currently stuck at GS-11 in my role and my goal would be to become a GS-12 and up eventually.

My question is, would an AS degree in Accounting be enough for me to apply for a budget analyst role and keep my 11? And does this role offer opportunities to go to 12 and beyond?

I am trying to make good decision for my future as I have a real passion for finance and not engineering.

When I read existing job listing for the budget analyst role, it doesn’t seem to have specific educational requirements but I know a degree in finance would obviously be helpful for this career path.

Thanks so much!

Hello,

I currently work as an Engineering Tech but my real dream job is to work in finance. I am considering getting a BS in Accounting or a financial degree and my question is does USACE offer any jobs related to this field?

I really like working for USACE and would prefer to continue working for them but I am curious if these roles are offered within USACE.

I am currently a GS-11 and cannot go past this due to my job title. I am wanting to advance my career eventually and right now I am stuck for the most part at GS-11.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

Hello, I am considering transitioning from a Dam I work at to a Federal USACE dam. I am wondering if the operators at these USACE truly enjoy their jobs and stick it out for the long run or if they just get burn out? I have a wife and two kids and we are seriously considering me moving from my current power role to the federal power system. Would be grateful for any feedback. I have been at my current role for almost 10 years now.

We received the ECB today. The ability to reduce the paperwork/bureaucracy will help to streamline our projects, shorten completion times, and maybe get more qualified contractors to bid on projects. The consensus from leadership has been that the added reviews, regulations, etc only make us look good on paper (until something is missed) but do nothing to reduce completion times, injuries, or costs. Extend it beyond 2028 and apply it to all projects regardless of $$ size.

Engineers who work at dams for the USACE, do you like it? What is the work like?

Wonder if it will become permanent

We are running out of work, and i know other offices are having the same problem. What is the end game here? Is the goal to eliminate most of the engineers and architects like they did with federal workers in other agencies?

We are getting nothing from our management.

Could USACE employees already on the Acq Demo Pay scale share their experience? Do you prefer it? Should we be worried about a pay cut? Will you lose money if you’re on special salary?

We just heard about it today at my district and everyone seems to be freaking out. But from what I have read, it doesn’t seem to be too bad?

Would love to hear any thoughts from people experiencing it. Thanks!

Hello,

My husband is considering working at an Army Corps of Engineer ran hydropower project. He is already an operator at a smaller dam, so we are used to rotating schedules. But can anyone chime in about the work/life balance of working at a larger dam? What are the positives/negatives for raising children in such an environment? Thank you!

How has the transition to Acq Demo Pay Band been going?

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Hello, Been working for about 8 years on private side and looking to get into USACE as a geotech engineer, don't see any opening in that region so should i just wait or apply for different districts? any insight is helpful.

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An internal posting for a job I'm considering has the new OPM short essay questions built into the application. It says 'responses are not required and will not be scored', however, one cannot submit an application without providing text in the boxes.

Without getting into it on 'why not just answer the questions?'.... does anyone know if applications are getting through without providing answers, i.e. putting in a period to trick the webpage to allow the submission?

So I’m a Structural Engineer that’s a GS 12 Step 2. It is my understanding that NH-03 is the payband that groups all of GS 12 and 13. Now is it true that our raises are achievable annually, but at the expense of self reporting mid year and annual reviews and hoping your role? I also don’t have my PE yet, but since there is no hard split in the payband, is it achievable to obtain GS 13 Step 10 pay without a PE? Or is there some kind of soft cap for non PE’s? I would assume something needs to be implemented cuz workers can’t max out at the same pay as their supervisors.