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Vessel Traffic Controller

Department of Transportation
Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Lock Operations and is established to schedule vessel transits through Eisenhower and Snell Locks and to obtain/exchange transiting data, primarily in Sectors II and IV.  Incumbent works rotating twelve-hour shifts. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/10/2025 to 09/26/2025
Salary
$73,939 to - $96,116 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Massena, NY
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel maybe required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE 1968.
Announcement number
GLS.LO-2025-0012
Control number
845558900

Duties

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The Vessel Traffic Controller:

  • Schedules vessels through the locks in a manner which maximizes utilization of the locks and avoids unnecessary vessel delays.  Advises pilots/masters of traffic patterns in Sector II. and IV.  Coordinates action with appropriate lock personnel. 
  • Records information regarding position, cargo, and other pertinent vessel and transit information in appropriate computer databases. Provides technical guidance and trains new employees.
  • Directs vessels to take specific action during incidents, reduced visibility or other emergency situations.  Takes initial response action for non-routine incidents and situations. During emergency response situations, receives and dispatches information and makes contacts in an accurate and timely manner, as set forth in the Emergency Response Plan and Vessel Traffic Management Services manual.
  • Obtains/exchanges transiting data with Canadian counterparts, transmits/receives data using various equipment i.e., computers, telephone, radios, etc. to provide services in Sector II and Sector IV.
  • May contact pilot dispatchers to communicate information in ordering pilots and provision of updates pertaining to pilot requirements.  Contacts U.S.C.G., Border Patrol, Customs, Marshals office, medical personnel or others, as required, for services within Sector II and Sector IV.  Initiates search actions, as appropriate.

The ideal candidate for this position gained professional maritime experience working in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system. The movements of traffic were managed safely and efficiently ensuring that vessel traffic was properly informed, advised, or directed in order to reduce the probability or collisions, rammings, groundings, and ensuing environmental damage.

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.
  • DRUG TESTING: Varies by position. Individuals tentatively selected for drug testing designated positions will be required to complete testing prior to appointment or placement.
  • PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).

Qualifications

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

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 with maritime navigation, weather, vessel maneuvering characteristics and capabilities, environmental threats, and the unique aspects of the marine geography in the area involving the use of technology to provide critical information and guidance to the master, pilot, or person in charge of vessels; such as working in a commercial maritime transportation facility or terminal which involved regulating maritime vessels utilizing Federal, State, and municipal regulations governing the use of maritime vessels.

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. Education must have major field of study in accounting, business administration, business or commercial law, commerce, economics, engineering, finance, industrial management, statistics, traffic management, transportation, motor mechanics, nautical science, marine affairs, marine engineering, marine transportation, or other fields related to the position. You must submit copies of your transcripts.

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.

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. Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
  2. Computer Skills - Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
  3. Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
  4. Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

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.

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

Education

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 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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