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Supervisory Highway Safety Specialist (Safety Operations Program Manager)- SME (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Department of Transportation
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Summary

This position is in a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Service Center. The candidate will provide authoritative technical advice, assistance, research and leadership on a wide range of FMCSA safety programs and enforcement matters including, Compliance, Safety and Accountability –Safety Measurement System, Passenger Carrier Safety, Household Goods Safety and Consumer Protection, Driver Safety – Licensing and Medical Qualifications Standards, etc.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/11/2026 to 03/20/2026
Salary
$125,776 to - $192,694 per year

Salaries reflected on this announcement will vary based on the duty station of the appointed position.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
Montgomery, AL
Little Rock, AR
Phoenix, AZ
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
50% or less - Frequent travel is required for this position. Mode of travel will be through commercial airlines, and government, privately owned or rental vehicles; and mode of travel is based on organizational and management. needs.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
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
No
Announcement number
FMCSA.FO-2026-0001
Control number
860535100

Duties

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As a Supervisory Highway Safety Specialist (Safety Operations Program Manager), you will:

  • Provide regional program leadership promoting the agency’s strategic plan, mission, and vision in all program strategies to address CSA-High Risk Carrier/Driver Management and Oversight and ensures CSA-SMS data is effectively analyzed to enhance our execution of program strategies and activities aimed at improving CMV safety by changing carrier/driver behavior, performance, and removing unsafe operators from the transportation system.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert to senior agency leadership and management officials regarding regulations, policies, and procedures related to safety investigations on motor carriers and CMV drivers (e.g., impaired drivers, medical standards, and alternative physical qualifications), and carriers posing a high risk or safety vulnerability (e.g., mandatory property/passenger motor coach carriers, and transportation security threats).
  • Conduct comprehensive analysis of high-risk operations (motor carriers of property and passengers, and unsafe drivers) and develop operational plans for the execution of special investigations and enhanced enforcement initiatives focused on removing unsafe operations from the highway.
  • Provide leadership, coordination, and direction, and serve as the Region’s liaison with Headquarters on CMV safety and prioritized program oversight and enforcement operations, including High Risk Carrier Safety; Passenger & Motor Coach Safety; Driver Safety – Licensing & Medical Qualifications Standards; Household Goods (HHG) Safety and Consumer Protection; Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Crash Investigation and Analysis; and complex or Multi-State/Inter-Agency Investigations, Initiatives, and Enforcement Strategies, to achieve our safety goal of reducing CMV transportation crashes and fatalities.

Ideal Candidate Statement: This position is perfect for a senior-level, mission focused, highway safety professional with knowledge of highway safety programs and who want to be challenged, who possess leadership skills, and who want to advance within the Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

PLEASE NOTE:

Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2026/general-schedule.

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:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A background security investigation is required for all selected individuals.  Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of the security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: 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.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • SUPERVISORY PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year supervisory probationary period (unless already completed).
  • 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).
  • DRUG TESTING: Varies by position. Individuals tentatively selected for drug testing designated positions will be required to complete testing prior to appointment or placement.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

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

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 planning, analyzing, and/or managing commercial motor vehicle safety program segments, functions, and/or activities to accommodate competing projects.
  • Experience organizing and/or directing commercial motor vehicle safety operations to accommodate shifting priorities.
  • Experience representing an organization's management regarding public safety mandates and regulatory standards with Federal, state and/or local agencies as well as industry and/or professional organizations.

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:

  • Ability to research and analyze factual information.
  • Skills in oral and written communications.
  • Ability to influence, motivate, and challenge others; adapt 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

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.

Please Note:

  • Reporting location TBD at the time of selection.

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. 

All applicants:  Your application will be reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process.  Phase I: Your resume will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.  Applicants passing “Phase I” will move on to the “Phase II” of the assessment process where your application will be reviewed and rated based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).


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