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Compliance Investigator

Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety Field Operations, Associate Administrator for Hazardous Material Safety (OHMS), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of Transportation (DOT). This position will serve in a developmental capacity receiving on-the-job and/or formal classroom training.  

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/19/2023 to 10/30/2023
Salary
$57,941 to - $124,677 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Ontario, CA
Atlanta, GA
Kansas City, MO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Telework Eligible
Travel Required
50% or less - Some travel required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PHMSA.HMRG-2024-0001
Control number
755591000

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Duties

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As a Compliance Investigator, you will:

  • Be responsible for the receipt, review, and proper disposition of all reports involving noncompliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) from all sources.
  • Plan, coordinate, and conduct field surveillance and investigation of packaging manufacturers, re-testers, repairers, rebuilders, special permit and approval holders, shippers, and re-conditioners in the region to enhance public safety in the transportation of hazardous materials by air, rail, highway and water.
  • Participate in DOT hazardous materials enforcement meetings and joint inspection activities with other DOT modal administrations, other federal agencies, and state and local governments.
  • Participate in team activities administering less complex assignments in the program area; assists in discharge of investigative responsibilities; assists in the analysis and evaluation of data to identify safety concerns, and in deciding on appropriate measures to protect oneself and others working in conjunction with them; participates in meetings, briefings, and hearings; assists in the verification of data; Prepares less complex portions of findings and recommendations.
  • Assist in the collection, safeguarding and evaluation of evidence (e.g., case files, reports of the lead investigator, statements, and photographs); violations; and Notices of Probable Violation. Participates in informal conferences with alleged violators and their legal counsel and safety representatives to hear arguments and review evidence on the violators cited.

The Ideal Candidate is an entry level Investigator/Enforcement Professional who is seeking to obtain a Compliance Investigator career ladder position within the Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement's regional offices. As an entry level position, all duties will be under the advice and guidance of senior level Investigators to guide individuals in obtaining the skills and expertise to advance to the next grade level.

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.
  • 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).
  • REMOTE WORK: This position may be eligible for remote work, which does not require reporting to the agency worksite location on a regular basis. If selected for a remote work location, you will be required to sign a remote work agreement detailing agency remote work policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
  • DRUG TEST: Tentatively selected candidates are required to undergo urinalysis in accordance with DOT 3910.1D entitled "Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace", which includes testing for marijuana. Marijuana is legal in some states, however it’s still illegal at the federal level. Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing. Failure or refusal to take a drug test may result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.
  • TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY:  This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework.  The number of telework days approved 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.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (2) 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 assisting senior members of a team analyze information to identify safety concerns through research, data collection, interviews, and report development.
  • Experience interpreting, explaining, and applying technical requirements and specifications to compliance problems encountered in field inspections or investigations.

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 applying transportation principles; compliance and enforcement concepts; operating principles; as well as chemical and physical properties of hazardous materials.
  • Experience in hazardous materials transportation safety, such as the transportation of compressed gases, explosives, radioactive materials, inter-modal shipments, and the manufacturing and testing processes for various industry operations.

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 in hazardous materials regulations related to inspections, investigations, and enforcement activities in order to determine whether noncompliance with regulations occurred.
  • Experience in manufacturing processes, methods, equipment and production factors involved in the hazardous materials industry.
  • Experience performing research and analytical activities to identify alternatives and making recommendations related to the safe transportation of hazardous materials.

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:

Technical Competence: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately

Compliance: Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.

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/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

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.

Additional information

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 two categories: Qualified and Well 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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