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Program Support Specialist

Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in the Staff Shipping Office of one of the following Area Divisions: Division of Atlantic Operations (DAO), Division of Gulf Operations (DGO), or Division of Pacific Operations (DPO). The Area Divisions are in the Office of Ship Operations, Office of the Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Sealift, Office of the Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration (MARAD).

 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/02/2025 to 06/06/2025
Salary
$60,808 to - $114,634 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Norfolk, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - This position requires occasional travel to MARAD Headquarters, Division locations, and contractor sites within the United States may occur during the year.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
MARAD.DAO-2025-0003
Control number
837823500

Duties

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As a Program Support Specialist, you will:

  • Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on ESC-PRISM by adapting to programming changes and updates, which facilitate the formulation of the business plan and the execution and tracking.
  • Develop all ship’s specific operation requirements submitted from assigned technical staff and convert into contractual documents to be submitted to Alternate Contracting Officer (ACO).
  • Serve as Trusted Agent of The Issuer for MARAD Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards, is responsible for assisting, verifying, and issuing PIV cards for Area Division employees using the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) program HSPD12.

The ideal candidate is a mid-level individual with experience in processing and preparing technical documents, consolidation, revision, tracking and reconciliation input from the area division's managers and technical staff and developing into contractual terms for input into the DOT/MARAD contract writing systems.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.
  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07 it must include:

  • Experience using computer software, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, and project management tools, to perform daily administrative and office tasks.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include: 

  • Experience using computer software for program-monitoring functions in procurement and vessel maintenance systems to support the preparation of management and contractual documents or reports.
  • Experience analyzing data from vessel maintenance systems and utilizing procurement systems to create task orders, performance reports, and financial closeout documentation.

To qualify for the GS-11 on Education alone, you must have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. You can also qualify based on a combination of higher-level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:

  • Experience with Human Resources (HR) software to support hiring actions, ensure administrative compliance, and perform tasks such as issuing employee identification badges.
  • Experience using computer software in procurement and vessel maintenance systems to analyze data and prepare management reports, contracts, task orders, performance reviews, and financial closeout documents.
  • Experience providing technical guidance and oversight to support strategic planning, decision-making, and organizational-wide program management.

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  1. Clerical - Knowledge of filing, typing, entering data, maintaining records, taking shorthand, and using and completing forms.
  2. Computer Skills - Use computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
  3. Administration and Management - Knowledge of planning, coordination, and execution of business functions, resource allocation, and production.

For all types of consideration, 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, student, social).  Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/.

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

To compete with U.S. Citizens:  If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over non-veterans. The top-rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position.

To compete with other competitive status government employees: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top-rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this position.

All applicants:  Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


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