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Transportation Specialist

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

Summary

This position will assist and support the program coordination and implementation of program activities concerning technical assistance, compliance and regulatory requirements to Federal, State and Local governments and the private sector in their efforts to enhance public safety relating to the transportation of hazardous materials by air, rail, highway and water.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/07/2024 to 11/15/2024
Salary
$69,729 to - $131,452 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Ontario, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
75% or less - Some travel may be 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
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
PHMSA.HMRG-2025-0009
Control number
817987800

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Duties

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As a Transportation Specialist (Community Liaison), you will:

  • Promote the transportation safety system by providing assistance under detailed supervision and direction, to the regulated community and emergency response personnel to meeting the goals of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and PHMSA programs.
  • Conduct with another team member and/or participate in workshops and meetings on hazardous materials transportation for other modes, other government agencies or industry groups.
  • Assist in coordination of information dissemination relative to the diverse elements of the Safety Assistance Program.
  • Assist and support coordination and information dissemination with Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), State Emergency Response Commission (SERC), Emergency Management Community, regional, state and local associations, state and local training academies, Motor Vehicle Administrations, etc.
  • Maintain coordination and conduct joint technical assistance program efforts with investigative field staff.
  • Maintain a close relationship with other Hazmat safety personnel to obtain their input on compliance problems.

The ideal candidate is a demonstrated problem solver who is committed to safety, is comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment and can make decisions and recommendations on a wide range of areas related to the safe transportation of hazardous materials. The ability to learn to or already communicate program policy information to federal and state agencies, the hazardous materials industry, and the public, on regulatory matters relating to the transportation of hazardous materials by air, water, highway and rail modes. The ability to learn to or already develop, implement and manage multiple projects simultaneously and to prioritize work in a changing environment.

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.
  • OFFICIAL PASSPORT: This position may involve national or international travel. A government issued official passport 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • TRAINING: You must successfully complete a residential 12-week formal training course. Travel to and from this residential training will be paid as allowed by government travel regulations. Individuals who do not successfully complete the training academy may be separated from employment with the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

For the 2101 series, specialized experience that demonstrated a knowledge of the transportation function(s) of the position to be filled is required.

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 providing support to developing guidance documents, training and outreach materials, informational brochures, instruction, materials for manuals, technical bulletins, and/or needs assessments.
  • Experience providing support to developing information systems, reports, positions papers, test results, field operations and/or other relevant documents or activities to assist an organization in the development of positions on various subjects related to the transportation of hazardous materials or similar experience.
  • Experience supporting outreach programs; compliance packages, guidance documents, training and outreach materials, informational brochures, and instruction manuals to assure compliance with regulations.

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 providing regulatory support to senior staff in the preparation and development of general approval and special permit documents related to the transportation of hazardous materials or similar experience with other safety-related permits or waivers.

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 applying the provisions of the HMR to assist senior team members in the preparation of approval and permit documents or similar experience with other safety-related regulations and issuance of permits or waivers.
  • Experience assisting senior team members in developing regulatory amendments and changes to existing guidance on the transportation of hazardous materials or similar experience with other safety-related regulations.
  • Experience engaging and advising industry groups, government agencies, and the public on hazardous materials transportation issues or similar experience with other safety-related issues.

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 Credibility: Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.
  • Technical Documentation: Knowledge of procedures for developing technical and operational support documentation.
  • 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.

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.

Education

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, engineering, finance, industrial management, statistics, traffic management, transportation, motor mechanics, or other fields related to the position.

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.

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

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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