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Highway Safety Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Summary

You will serve as a Highway Safety Specialist and report to the Chief, Enforcement and Justice Services Division, Research and Program Development, Office of Safety Programs.  The office has national responsibility for developing and improving behavioral highway safety programs aimed at reducing highway crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/18/2026 to 05/27/2026
Salary
$121,785 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
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
Occasional travel - Some travel will be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE, local 3313.
Announcement number
NHTSA.NPD-2026-0001
Control number
869694600

Duties

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The Highway Safety Specialist, you will:

  • Oversee, and coordinate demonstration projects or programs of particular sensitivity or breadth, particularly undertakings that require the integration and synthesis of information from multiple program areas including comprehensive knowledge of programmatic content and emerging trends and issues.
  • Establish and maintain effective partnerships with other Department of Transportation operating administrations, other external government agencies at the national, State and local levels with interest in highway safety by coordinating program activities, interpreting NHTSA policies and procedures, and furnishing authoritative advice.
  • Serve as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and technical advisor for various behavioral highway safety and demonstration projects within assigned areas of responsibility by developing procurement documents including statements of work and cost estimates and coordinate implementation of programmatic efforts with appropriate NHTSA elements, contractors/consultants, State and local agencies, professional organizations, and other recognized experts in the field.
  • Prepare technical reports and briefing materials regarding assigned areas of responsibility as required by Congress, the Secretary of DOT, the NHTSA Administrator, and the Associate Administrator, and other offices, which form the basis for the evaluation of ongoing and planned programs or presentation of new concepts and programs.

The ideal candidate for this position possesses experience and a solid understanding of public health issues and behavioral highway safety, injury prevention, programs, and policies, especially as they relate to traffic law enforcement countermeasures and programs. Experience as a command level law enforcement officer is preferred but not required.

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 may 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.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • 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).

Qualifications

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

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:

  • Experience with  behavioral highway safety, injury prevention, public health and traffic law enforcement programs.
  • Experience in behavioral traffic safety program development and strategies, specifically regarding speed management, impaired driving, distracted driving, and other risky driving behaviors.
  • Experience in carrying out traffic enforcement operations utilizing evidence-based components.

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:

  • Behavioral Highway Safety: Knowledge of behavioral highway safety programs and research.
  • Partnering: Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
  • Law Enforcement: Knowledge of skills required to implement advanced traffic enforcement operations utilizing evidence-based frameworks.

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

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. 

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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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is dedicated to achieving the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety. The agency strives to exceed the expectations of its customers through its core values of Integrity, Service and Leadership. Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity. Work for NHTSA!

The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation.  As such, DOT values a workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome.  If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.

Agency contact information

Automated Staffing Office
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Address
DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States

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