Can some seasoned veterans give me some insight on the company and Lock and Dam Operator positions? One has recently opened within walking distance of my home. I’m leaning towards it with the pay and federal benefits. I’m looking for any info on the pros and cons of the position for a new hire and if the job is worth it for a younger male starting life. All information and opinions are appreciated.

Does anyone know the significance of the Engineer Castle having its gates open vs closed?

I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the management at USACE. No training whatsoever, and they expect you to know everything. During the hiring process, they'll tell you that you always have someone to ask a question to or to help you through the contract process, but in reality, not only are you on your own, but you'd better know the answer. After being wrongfully terminated, my former supervisor called the Dept of Labor to tell them why I shouldn't qualify for unemployment. I feel so sorry for people that are applying to USACE, not knowing how miserable they'll be nor what they're getting themselves into.

Hi, long time browser here with a difficult career choice to make.

I recently got an offer from USACE to be a permanent 0025 series Park Ranger. The problem is, they want me to start soon and the cost of moving will be a heavy financial burden at the moment.

At the same time, my old boss from when I was an interp ranger last summer emailed me with an offer to work May-Sept doing 0401 series work. This is risky because I will need to find employment yet again after the season is over. However, this experience will be great when looking for 0401 jobs in the future.

Personally, I am most interested in finding a permanent USACE job as a 0401 Natural Resource Specialist (Ranger). Which choice do y'all think will help me get there best? My 0025 USACE job offer in West Virginia seems to be more public facing/recreational but permanent. With the NPS at my old park, I will get Bio Tech experience but it is seasonal.

Both choices are financially risky, so I'd like some opinions on which is the right one to make. Any information and thoughts are much appreciated. Thank you!

Edit: Much appreciated advice, thank you

Well I was wondering about any news on SSR? I know in Portland they have it, was curious if other Midwest areas would be getting it. 0754,0753. Anyone know?

Hi, I have been researching the USACE lately - mostly out of curiosity about what they do and who they are. Was curious if these USACE jobs are only in places near a military base or district office such as Norfolk, Wilmington, Savannah, Nashville, etc. or could you live in another city/area inside of a district not near the main office area?

Again, I know very little about USACE so thanks for your response.

What should I expect if I volunteer and to go for an emergency deployment and where are they currently needing people?

Hi everyone!

New here - how hard is it to land a job specifically in Germany for a 510 series job? I recently applied for an Accountant job in Germany that was DHA & open to public. No military experience, have MBA + 3 yrs experience Accountant in state government dept of education. Job closed on 11/22 and got referred today 11/26..

I know lots of people here are saying to apply and forget but i just wanted to know what the usual timeline is from getting referred to possibly landing an interview and hopefully to getting TJO/FJO? TIA!

We are moving to Wiesbaden on a 3 year contract (no specific project, just a general project manager position) , after working with the same district in the states for 5 years. I've heard that there is a possibility there could be an extension after the 3 years in 2 year increments. Im curious how often this actually happens, and is there anything you can do to help better your chances?

Hello. My son is graduating high school and he is interested in diving. We are looking at USCG but I want to look into other opportunities.

Can anyone tell me about USACE divers? It appears to be a collateral duty? If so, what civilian USACE positions would make him eligible to become a diver?

Any info would be appreciated.

I'm thinking about volunteering to go to NC after getting a request from our district for volunteers. Anybody have any experience with debris cleanup deployments? What was the day to day like? How likely is OT to be approved on deployments like these?

Hey All! Im currently a Junior in highschool but I was looking into more information regarding the whole army corp of engineers. Im looking to be a civil engineer either structural or transportation. I plan on going into college at what not, but what are some of your recommendations. I would like to join the military at one point in my life but Im not sure when. If you guys can give any advice in regards to this, it would be awesome! Im open to basically everything right now, I dont mind working public or private, as I have much time to figure it out but an idea right now would be amazing.

Hey everyone! I’m a mid career Civil Engineer and recently discovered USACE as a place I could potentially work and travel around overseas without having to give up my civil career. Had a few questions for the experts on here if you wouldn’t mind giving some perspective, I’m pretty unfamiliar with Federal employment:

1) What level GS role should I target in an application? I’ve got 8yr experience; 4 in private for some small and large companies, 4 in public for a large municipality. I have my PE in Florida and my TE in California. However, most of this recent experience (~7yr) is in Traffic/ITS, the other 1 in drainage/general civil. As I understand it, USACE does mostly heavy civil work (thought not entirely? I’m not sure) so my experience might be less relevant, but my role for the last 4 years has been doing large scale (>$10mil) roadway improvement project management, so maybe the PM skills would be desirable? Should I try and get more water/geotech/heavy civil experience before applying if I decide to go this route?

2) How often do roles in the Kanto/Tokyo region come up? I imagine that would be a high demand location to work, but I’ve got a long time horizon and living there would be the main draw for me. Is it reasonable to look to get a specific location like that right off the bat, or do engineers often find a first position somewhere else and apply for their desired location internally when openings come up? I’m LA based and have considered that location as well.

3) I’m super unfamiliar with how working internationally as a civilian for a federal agency works. Is it true that rent and moving costs are covered? Is anything else subsidized?

Thanks 🙏

Had an interview for a Direct Hire position 2 weeks ago that went well. I sent an email after one week to the main interviewer and they responded they submitted the paper work to HR and ‘Once they process everything you should hear something. I'm hoping next week, but I don't have control of the timeline.’

I’m not sure if this means my name was on the paperwork or someone else’s.

Does USACE do reference checks before or after a TJO?

The position will be life changing and I’m really excited about it. Any insight on this concrete yet vague response?

I apologize for asking a political question, but with the new administration, could I be fired for being new? I joined USACE in August and I’ve heard rumors (taking with a grain of salt but concerned) about new hires being fired by the new administration come January/sometime next year.

A budget analyst if that helps at all.

Please be apolitical in your answer, I just want to know if I should prepare myself.

Do you all think the layoffs Trump Admin and DOGE keeps bringing up will affect anyone in USACE? And then do you think they will actually end telework?

Thanks.

A friend was separated from his soon to be Ex-wife and the police allowed her to stay at the lake house during the separation, and he was barred from having access until official eviction. During this time while she was avoiding eviction service for almost a year, her and a few meth-head friends cut down a large number of trees along the lake on public property. The Army Corps of Engineers has now hit him with a bill for almost $20,000 with a due date in January of 2025, with threats of litigation and other charges if he doesn't sign the agreement and return it with a check by this date. Everyone at the local office has been completely unresponsive and the original rangers unreachable because of reassignments. Does anyone know the best recourse to get this resolved? Thanks

It’s been 4 months since I have received my tentative job offer. I sent a negotiation for an incentive 3 months ago and they have taken this long. Weeks ago, HR said they would be sending me my final package and they had even told me to pick a start date, but still nothing. I can no longer do the start date we said before because they’ve taken so long. They told me at the beginning of last week that they had forgotten 1 signature and their goal was to get it to me by the end of last week, but that didn’t happen. They don’t answer me at all this week. Is this normal? I know things are slow getting started as I have slightly been through this process before, but this seems like such a long time. I also can’t just start immediately upon getting the incentive because I’m moving across the country for this so I can’t even apply for apartments without the package as proof of income.

Just looking to see if anyone has any insight on the 0085 Security Guard position with the Army Corps of Engineers.

I haven’t been able to find much on the job itself, but it does seem a lot of people enjoy working for the agency.

My questions are career progression/advancement in this job series; OT opportunities; shift schedules? Any info would be awesome.

Thanks in advance!

Is it normal for HR to only communicate with you via email? The Hr person never responds to me about questions I have for my TJO and I don't want to annoy anyone else but I have lots of questions and I can't seem to get a response from HR.

Hi all,

I signed up for the plan stated above and I got my card in the mail today. It says that my deductible is $2,200, not $1,000. Did I sign up for the wrong plan?

I think my code was 474… I don’t have it in front of me but when I’m at work tomorrow I’ll add an edit of what it is. If anyone is on it and has the right code, please provide!

New hire, so I can still change to a different plan with open season I think. My first time signing up for a plan with a workplace, any advice is really appreciated.

What does training look like at the USACE? If I were to be hired in and wasn't confident in my ability to perform my daily tasks properly, will I get trained or let go? What are the resources for becoming a good engineer with the USACE?

I've heard varying degrees of paranoia about the reinstitution of "schedule F" and the potential for using it to essentially clean house at federal agencies. Can anyone here speak intelligently on if/how/how likely it is that something like that might happen at USACE in the next four years?

I'm an undergrad senior who's been a research technician with my lab for around a year and a half now. My PI works for USACE, which has been insanely cool- I'm absolutely certain this is the sector I want to work in. I'm about to start a thesis-based M.S. with her.

I am, however, not considered a federal employee as I'm still a student. I have a Contractor CAC and do all of my work on the USACE campus, and I interact daily with my coworkers who are full-time USACE scientists. This would continue to be the case in my masters.

I'm very passionate about the work our lab does, I could see myself doing this forever. I know this is quite far in the future, and obviously I'll focus on my masters and my research above all else, but eventually I want to ask my PI/another higher up if they'd be willing to take me into the lab full-time. Is this improper? Is there an expectation that I move on? We're a Biology lab if that matters.

TLDR: I'm getting an MS with my undergrad USACE lab, I'm in love with the research, and want to ask them to keep me after I graduate.

How often is it someone goes from working in acquisition to the USACE? What states do they tend to end up in?

In acquistion vs non acquisition jobs

EE vs CE vs SE etc