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MARINE CARGO SPECIALIST

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
837TH US ARMY TRANSPORTATION BATTALION, PUSAN, KOREA

Summary

About the Position:
Works with Marine Cargo Specialists in planning and coordinating vessel operation plans and contract specifications for loading and/or discharge of DOD-sponsored cargo through commercial or military ocean terminals. Individual must work without immediate supervision in some instances to accomplish mission requirements.

Please review South Korea's prescription medication & Drug regulations here: https://kr.usembassy.gov/services-controlled-substance/.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/23/2026 to 05/04/2026
Salary
$63,795 - $82,938 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Location
Pusan, South Korea
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel up to 20% for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
IPEZ-26-12941416-MP
Control number
866150500

Duties

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  • Perform preliminary pre-stowage plan of a variety of cargo.
  • Plan and execute marine cargo operations to include vessel loading and offloading and port staging.
  • Monitor contract administration and management of stevedoring and related terminal services.
  • Ensure contractor personnel use proper procedures and equipment in rigging and off-loading heavy lift.
  • Give advice to terminal, contracts and deploying unit personnel to direct the loading and unloading of cargo from vessels.
  • Conduct port site surveys and studies.
  • Coordinate unit movement representatives for unit deployment list in for the deployment of military units.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/140025v1230.pdf.
  • If selected, the agency will provide information regarding what documentation is needed and how to request any legally required exceptions from this requirement.
  • This position requires al security clearance.
  • Incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state or government driver's license.
  • This is an Emergency Essential position.
  • This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 20% of the time.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions
  • Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Excepted Service Overseas Family Member Appointment
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

This position has a basic requirement that you must meet in addition to the specialized experience required below.

Basic Requirement:
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.

-OR-

Experience:
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience gained in (1) preparing preliminary cargo stowage plans, and/or (2) overseeing loading, stowage, and discharge operations to make certain that they conform to preliminary plans, or authorizing necessary changes and preparing final plans. This experience must have involved vessels of at least 5,000 dead-weight tons. It must also clearly show a comprehensive knowledge of marine rules and regulations and the ability to plan, direct, organize, and coordinate cargo handling activities; to interpret and apply policies; to investigate operations and practices and resolve problems; and to establish and maintain effective work relationships. Experience in layout planning, ship-loading, and cargo handling may have been gained during such seagoing and marine terminal assignments as service in the U.S. Navy as a cargo officer, similar service in the Merchant Marines, or employment by commercial steamship lines.

In addition to the Basic Requirement, you must also meet the one year of Specialized Experience.

To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of specialized experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes:(1) preparing preliminary cargo stowage plans ;(2) overseeing loading, stowage, and discharge operations to make certain that they conform to preliminary plans or authorizing necessary changes and preparing final plans ;and/or (3) COR(contracting officer's representative) work is assigned.
This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study in 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.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • If you are currently stationed in the overseas area, all of your overseas time will be credited toward your current overseas tour end date. Your overseas time served will not reset upon accepting this assignment.
  • If you have returned from OCONUS within the past 2 years or less, your time previously served in the OCONUS area will be credited to your 5 year overseas rotation upon accepting this assignment.
  • MILITARY SEPARTEES (NON-RETIREE): Military members may be appointed while on terminal leave, before the effective date of their military separation. Applications will only be accepted from members of the Armed Forces that indicate they are immediately appointable within 120 days.
  • MILITARY RETIREES: A retired member of the Armed Forces may not be appointed to a civilian position in DOD (including a non-appropriated fund position) within 180 days after retirement [** unless the following conditions have been met: the Secretary concerned authorizes the appointment; or the position is authorized special pay under 5 U.S.C. 5305; or a state of national emergency exists.]
  • OFFICIAL PASSPORT: This position requires a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to Korea. As a condition of employment, the selectee must obtain a Special Issuance Passport ("Official Passport") prior to travel. Command-sponsored dependents (if applicable) are also required to obtain official passports. Applicants should plan accordingly to ensure timely processing. DoD civilians may also enter the ROK using tourist passport ; however, those on official travel are generally required to apply for a Special Passport prior to departure in accordance with Department of Defense policies.
  • K-ETA: K-ETA will be temporarily exempted until 21 December 2026. The United States is included in this exemption. Travelers can still apply for a K-ETA and pay the 10,000 Korean Won fee (about $9) per person if they wish; those who have a K-ETA will not have to submit an arrival card at the port of entry. Those who got their K-ETA approval already can use it until it expires. No refund will be made for people who have already submitted a K-ETA application. https://www.k-eta.go.kr

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.
  • Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information and direct questions concerning a specific country (Foreign Duty Location) to the appropriate Army Human Resources point of contact prior to the acceptance of employment and your entrance on duty.
  • This is a Career Field (FC) - 24 - Transportation Management position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
  • Defense National Relocation Program will NOT be authorized.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

U.S. Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command

Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

The Army values diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, cultures and skills, which connects employees to organizations that are committed to building an inclusive work environment where they can contribute to their fullest potential.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
EZ-APF-W3H5AA 837TH US ARMY TRANSPORTATION BN
DO NOT MAIL
APO, AP 96258
US

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