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Director, Center for Safety Management and Human Factors

Department of Transportation
Office of the Secretary of Transportation

Summary

As the Director, Center for Safety Management and Human Factors, you will lead and oversee the Center for Safety Management and Human Factors within the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), John A. Volpe National Transportation Center (Volpe).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/03/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 3, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
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.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation funds may be authorized depending on budget approval.
Salary
$151,661 - $218,800 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Promotion potential
00
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Permanent
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel is required.
Appointment type
Permanent - Career
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Senior Executive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes - You must file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
VOLPE.SES-2026-0004
Control number
874536300

Duties

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The Center Director for Safety Management and Human Factors provides executive leadership and strategic direction over programs by developing plans and policies ensuring that projects for sponsoring organizations are properly formulated, staffed, conducted, and managed to support and advance the strategic goals of the DOT and OST-R as they pertain to safety management and human factors.

The Director oversees existing programs, develops new programs, and ensures technical excellence within the staff and programs of the Center. In addition, the Director will be responsible for providing horizontal integration of safety management systems implementation, human factors research, and evaluation, policy and system analysis across Volpe, working with other Technical Center Directors to bring together cross-functional teams to address the challenges facing the nation's transportation system.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Provide all required documents by closing date.
  • A Secret clearance is required.

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.

  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Complete a one-year SES probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: You may be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • WRITING SAMPLE: A writing sample may be required.
  • PRESENTATION: Applicants may be asked to prepare and present a presentation, provide a presentation on a scenario- based situation or a similar activity as a part of the applicant evaluation process.
  • DRUG TEST: This is a drug testing position. You will be required to complete a drug test upon entry of this position and are subjected to at random drug testing.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.


TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

TQ 1. Demonstrated executive experience in leading and running innovative research, technology and Safety management projects, especially those related to transportation safety, data science, IT development, and process improvement. This includes creating and launching new safety research, demonstrations and systems by working closely with government, industry, and academic leaders.

TQ 2. Demonstrated executive experience in growing business opportunities and managing successful client relationships. This involves serving as the main contact for a customer, securing funding for new programs, making sure all customer business needs are met, and helping research and development teams work with customer leaders to plan and fund future strategic projects.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and TQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

  • ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding – This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
  • ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency -This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
  • ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
  • ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
  • ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:

Education

If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Additional information

Veterans Preference: Veterans’ preference is not applicable to the SES.

Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.

Tiering: The Department/Agency structures its SES positions into categories (i.e. tiers) to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department/Agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to

Retirement/Pension Plan - You will be covered by a defined benefit, contributory Federal retirement system that provides benefits for both normal retirement (with as few as 5 years of civilian service) and for circumstances that might occur earlier, such involuntary retirement because of disability.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) - You may participate in a retirement savings investment plan that offers before-tax savings and tax-deferred investment earnings. For more details, please visit the TSP website

Employee Assistance - Employees and their immediate families can take advantage of free confidential counseling with health professionals as part of the Federal Employees Assistance Program.

Transit Benefits - We subsidize up to $315 of mass transit commuting costs each month.

Information related to performance, suitability, and security will be verified. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be subject to fine imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.

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.

To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

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.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual’s application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch.  If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.


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Office of the Secretary of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is focused on what matters most: prioritizing the safety of our transportation systems, modernizing our aging infrastructure, unleashing American innovation, and maximizing efficiency by removing bureaucratic red tape. We are looking for mission-driven professionals ready to deliver real results with discipline, urgency, and accountability to support American families, workers, and businesses.

As we usher in a Golden Age of Transportation, DOT values a results-oriented, high-performing workforce dedicated to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a safe, collaborative environment. If you want to build big, beautiful infrastructure, scale transformative technologies, and achieve results that will serve our nation for generations to come, please consider joining the DOT family.

Did You Know? The Department of Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

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

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