GSA Online Application System

 

 
 

Public Land Name:
BLM Washington Office – Fluid Minerals Program

Position Title:
Petroleum Engineer, DHA-RAI Program (2 positions)

Agency: BLM

Position Type: DHA

Position ID Number:
2019826 and 2019827

Location:
Washington, D.C.

Accepting Applications? No

# of current Applicants: 0

Position Description:
The project will provide an 11-week training program for two interns, based out of Washington D.C., and will focus on performing the duties of an entry-level Petroleum Engineer. This project will expand the Fluid Minerals Division program due diligence and oversight capacity with emphasis in two areas of field operations – the nationwide inventory of 25+ year-old idle wells in the BLM, and the nationwide oil and gas bond adequacy review program. The prospective interns will gain an understanding of BLM oversight and field operations through review and analysis of the latest statuses and actions pertaining to the Idle Well & Bond Adequacy. The interns will work with the operational data from the Automated Fluid Minerals Support System (AFMSS) database, holding data for 100,000 onshore wellbores across 46,000 leases, to analyze idle well and bond adequacy review reports to verify field office compliance with guidelines and procedures outlined in the respective information memorandum for these reviews. The Idle Well and Bond Adequacy review includes analysis of progress as reported by field offices. The intern(s) will work with the Fluid Minerals Division Petroleum Engineers, Fluid Minerals Program Lead and the Fluid Minerals Deputy and Division Chief to update annual strategies for data integrity and oversight. The interns will complete assigned duties designed to provide them with experience in all aspects of the Fluid Mineral Division including: the operational database system, analysis of and critical thinking towards reports, and provide recommendations of potential areas of improvement to senior staff. The interns will work with the field office staff to validate the data, determine trends, concerns, program vulnerabilities, and identify best practices. The interns may travel to the field for up to two weeks to enhance their understanding of field operations, assist field staff with daily operations, and validate report results from AFMSS. The Washington Office will evaluate the success of the interns based on their qualitative and quantitative ability to perform the duties of an entry-level Petroleum Engineer.

Goals, outcomes, and deliverables:
The project goals are to consolidate, analyze, identify trends, concerns, program vulnerability, and best practices; summarize and provide recommendations for the Idle Well/Bond Adequacy report. This critical thinking and data analysis will help the Washington Office with data integrity and due diligence oversight for the oil and gas program. The interns will complete assigned duties designed to provide them with experience in all aspects of the Fluid Mineral Division including: the operational database system, analysis of and critical thinking towards reports, and provide recommendations of potential areas of improvement to senior staff. The interns will work with the field office staff to validate the data, determine trends, concerns, program vulnerabilities, and identify best practices. The interns may travel to the field for up to two weeks to enhance their understanding of field operations, assist field staff with daily operations, and validate report results from AFMSS. The Washington Office will evaluate the success of the interns based on their qualitative and quantitative ability to perform the duties of an entry-level Petroleum Engineer.

Agency involvement (project oversight, mentoring, team building, etc.):
While in the Washington Office, the intern will be matched with an official technical mentor. This mentor will be a Petroleum Engineer in the Fluid Minerals Division. The mentor will provide on the job training for basic Petroleum Engineering and the relationship to the Bureau mission for land management and onshore mineral stewardship. The intern(s) face challenges in a wide variety of situations, scenarios related to policy and oversight diligence and the relationship to work on the ground at the field offices. The mentor will review all written documents prepared by the interns as well as work directly with the BLM state and field offices. The mentor will coordinate with the intern(s) to make sure they understand the tasks, provide coaching and assure that the intern(s) do not become overwhelmed by their project duties. Progress meetings between the intern and Deputy or Division chief will be held at least every two weeks to ensure successful performance and progress is achieved.ADD

Professional development & learning opportunities: (trainings, certifications, networking, etc.):
While in the Washington Office, the intern(s) are also coached and paired with a career advisor, someone who is not necessarily a Petroleum Engineer. This advisor will assist the intern(s) in learning and understanding the broader mission of the Bureau of Land Management. The career advisor will help the intern develop an Individual Development Plan, refined with the technical mentor, and finally approved by the Deputy Division Chief or Division Chief. There will also be a possible field visit to one or two BLM operation sites. They will sit in on National Operations calls and take notes. They will attend meetings with other divisions at the Main Interior Building, the Solicitor’s Office. They will also attend Brown Bag luncheon seminars with other D.C. interns on various subjects.

The DHA Resource Assistant Internship (DHA-RAI) Program at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a specialized internship opportunity within the Department of the Interior (DOI). The internships bring new and diverse viewpoints to the BLM while working on specific projects targeted for attracting, recruiting, and filling mission-critical and hard-to-fill occupations. The objective of the internship is to build a pathway towards employment in the DOI for highly-motivated students in higher education.

DHA-RA interns who successfully complete the internship requirements will receive a two-year eligibility period (starting from their degree completion date) during which they can be non-competitively hired by the DOI. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee that the participant will be hired into a federal position. For more information, please visit the BLM Direct Hire Program website.

Leadership Development:
The intern will participate in rigorous projects that focus skills and reveal the work qualities of the individual. The internship project provides the opportunity for the intern to develop or apply personal responsibility in their work. The rigorous schedule of the internship helps develop project management skills. The intern will also work with multiple stakeholders in their project, which will help the intern develop/demonstrate communication skills, and experience navigating organizational hierarchies.

Presenting Project Results:
Intern will prepare a briefing paper and formally present findings during the Divisional meeting or equivalent. Participant is also encouraged to present their results at a GSA Annual Meeting or GSA Section Meeting.

Physical/Natural Environment:
The position is based at the Washington Office – Fluid Minerals Program (WO-310) located in Washington, D.C.

Work Environment:
Office environment will have adequate office space for the assigned intern(s).

Qualifications:
Applicants pursuing (or have very recently earned) a degree in petroleum, mechanical, or chemical engineering or a related degree program are preferred.

Candidates should demonstrate interest or experience in the following areas:

  • Skill development
  • Real-world problem solving
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Project management
  • Communication skills
  • Strong work ethic and independence
  • Teamwork and collaboration

In order to be eligible for a DHA-RA Internship, participants must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”). The DHA-RA internship focuses on ensuring the full representation of women and participants from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) or other schools with diverse student populations, to include African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, Hispanics, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Applicants must be enrolled in, or recently graduated from an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited institution of higher education. Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program are not eligible to participate in DHA-RA Internships with the BLM. To qualify as a recent graduate, the student’s official graduation date cannot be more than six (6) months prior to June 3, 2019.

Prior to starting this position a government security background clearance will be required.

Vehicle / Driver's License Requirement (If applicable):
Applicant must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

Please note many GeoCorps projects are in remote locations, where a vehicle is necessary or highly recommended for transportation and access to amenities (exceptions include the Washington D.C. area, Alaska, and Hawaii).

Position Dates:
06/03/2019 to 08/16/2019; alternate start date must be pre-approved

Position Duration: 11 weeks, 40 hours/week; applicants must be able to complete 11 full week

Hourly Wage: $15.00/hour + $660 allowance for commuting expenses; participant also receives round-trip travel reimbursement up to $700.

Housing Details:
Free, on-site agency housing is generally NOT available. Participants will use a portion of their wage to cover costs of a local rental. If desired, GSA and the agency can provide assistance in locating suitable housing. The selected participant is encouraged to discuss the housing situation with local agency staff.

If you have questions about the application and selection process, please contact GSA's GeoCorps managers.  If you have questions about any aspect of the position — description, qualifications, housing, dates — please direct them to the contact(s) listed in the project description. Remember, application materials can only be submitted online. The project contact(s) will not accept application materials sent to them via e-mail, mail, fax, etc. See the full program details at the GeoCorps homepage.

PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION
Lesley Petrie
Education and Outreach Program Coordinator
3300 Penrose Place
Boulder, CO 80301
 (303) 357-1097
 lpetrie@geosociety.org
Website

SECONDARY CONTACT INFORMATION
Matthew Dawson
Education Programs Manager
3300 Penrose Place
Boulder, CO 80301
 (303) 357-1025
 mdawson@geosociety.org
Website