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Supervisory Railroad Instructional System Specialist - DIRECT HIRE

Department of Transportation
Federal Railroad Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position serves as the Staff Director of the Training and Technical Standards Division (TTSD) Office of Railroad Safety, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). S/he is responsible for the development and execution of railroad safety inspection training for all inspectors, supervisors, and specialists in support of the mission, goals and objectives of FRA and the Office of Railroad Safety.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/30/2024 to 10/07/2024
Salary
$125,242 to - $162,817 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
Remote job
Yes
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Travel Required
75% or less - Extensive travel will be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes - The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Bargaining unit status
Yes - At the GS-11/12 grade level-This is a Bargaining unit position represented by American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), 2814.
Announcement number
FRA.DH-2024-0027
Control number
811779400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

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The Supervisory Railroad Instructional System Specialist:

  • Serves as the principal technical advisor, subject matter expert, and management consultant for the development, evaluation, and implementation of a variety of curriculum-based railroad safety training programs for TTSD.
  • Analyzes, designs, develops, implements, and evaluates training programs using a variety of planning methods, practices, standards, and procedures for the successful delivery of instructor led courses, online courses, webinars, job aids, coaching, mentoring, simulations, and other learning interventions for FRA inspectors, and state partners. Evaluates and assesses the effectiveness of the instructional programs within TTSD.
  • Communicates all TTC safety and security procedures to instructional staff and ensures training practices are in compliance. Incumbent is responsible for identifying and reporting any deviations from required procedures to the appropriate parties (i.e., contracting officer representative, Director, etc.). to ensure the safe operations of all aspects of training.
  • Collaborates with members of the FRA railroad safety training community, senior FRA leadership and staff, Railroad Safety Specialists conducting training, representatives of Railroads and other individuals and organizations both inside and outside FRA to facilitate railroad safety training for employees in assigned/targeted program(s)/career field(s).
  • Plans and assigns work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, prepares schedules for completion of work, develops performance standards and evaluates work performance of subordinate employees, gives advice and counsel to subordinates, interviews and selects candidates for positions within the branch, makes promotions and reassignments, hears and resolves complaints from employees, effects minor disciplinary actions, identifies developmental and training needs for subordinates, and finds ways to improve production or increase quality of work.
  • Works with internal and external stakeholders, to include instructional staff and subject matter experts, to design, develop, revise, administer, validate, and evaluate learning objectives and their corresponding test items.

The ideal candidate for this position is a senior level professional with a strong background in technical training in the transportation industry, who enjoys working in a collaborative environment, and has experience evaluating safety programs within the transportation industry. Rail experience is highly desirable. This candidate should have experience with transportation industry standards and procedural instructions as they relate to design, development and execution of training plans. Expert level oral and written communication skills are essential.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • 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.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT:  Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: New supervisors must complete a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed).

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:

  • Experience applying research methodologies in order to design, monitor, and evaluate studies for use in the development of training.
  • Experience representing your organization to promote, negotiate, and implement technical resolutions and initiatives pertaining to training.
  • Experience planning, scheduling, and coordinating project activities, including assigning work; training or instructing employees; reporting problems and offering solutions to your supervisor; meeting deadlines; monitoring work in progress, and making day-to-day adjustments to resolve unexpected conditions.

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:

  • Knowledge: Knowledge of the value of collected information and the methods of sharing that information throughout an  organization.
  • Managing Human Resources:  Plans, distributes, coordinates, and monitors work assignments of others; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, and developed, and that they are treated.
  • Communication: Knowledge of the production, communication and dissemination of information and ideas to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Supervisory/Leadership: Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations.

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

All 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 

RAILROAD STOCK: Pursuant to 5 C.F.R. Parts 2635.403 and 6001.104, all FRA employees (or spouses or minor children of FRA employees) are specifically prohibited from holding railroad stock (including shares of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. which owns 100% of BNSF), whether held outright, in an IRA, or in a 401(k) or other plan. (Employees may hold a mutual fund which invests in railroad stocks, so long as the mutual fund does not invest more than 30% of its assets in such prohibited investments.) Employees having a prohibited financial interest must divest themselves of railroad stock within 90 days after their appointment to their positions. Neither the rule against holding railroad stock, nor the divestiture period, is in any way affected by the existence of re-employment rights which employees might have with railroad companies. Nor is there any monetary threshold for applicability of the rule against ownership of railroad stock; all dollar amounts are prohibited.

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

Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.

How you will be evaluated

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

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational requirements.  Applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked.  Veteran’s Preference does NOT apply.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.  WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.  All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume.  If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. 


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