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Supervisory Motor Carrier Safety Specialist (Border Inspector Supervisor) (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Department of Transportation
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Summary

This position is in any one of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) field offices along border U.S. states between the United States and Mexico. The purpose of this position is to supervise subordinate Border Inspectors within assigned field office.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
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
No
Salary
$74,678 - $98,928 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11
Promotion potential
11
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel maybe required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
FMCSA.FO-2026-0015
Control number
883608900

Duties

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As a Supervisor Motor Carrier Safety Specialist (Border Inspector Supervisor), you will:

  • Be responsible for supervising and overseeing the performance of the full range of safety and hazardous materials compliance safety inspection functions and promoting and enforcing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, Hazardous Material Regulations and other applicable regulations.
  • Oversee and supervise staff in conducting inspections of carriers’ equipment, drivers’ documentation, insurance, and economic permitting during highway operations to ascertain compliance with safety and permitting standards. 
  • Supervise federal staff.
  • Plan work, set and adjust priorities, prepare schedules, assign work, develop performance standards/plans and evaluate work performance, provide advice, counsel, or instruction to employees, interview candidates for positions; recommend appointment, promotion, or reassignment, hear and resolve employee complaints, provide or arrange for training, find ways to improve production, exercise EEO and Affirmative Action responsibilities, assure sound position management and internal controls are established.
  • Speak in Spanish or English to explain and interpret FMCSA regulations.  Translate from English to Spanish and Spanish to English.
  • Write and develop operating procedures and develops management reports.

The ideal candidate must be able to relate to all types of personalities in challenging, sometimes contentious, circumstances that are essential to success.  Above average communication skills are required.  Candidate must be able to think independently and must understand complex regulations, apply them to differing circumstances and reach fair and consistent conclusions on determining violations and infractions without mentoring from managers.

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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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: Tentatively selected candidates are required to undergo urinalysis in accordance with DOT 3910.1D entitled "Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace." Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education OR experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration AND provide a copy of transcripts for verification.

SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position has a selective factor which must be met to qualify for this position.  Applicants must speak and write fluent Spanish and English; and translate verbal and written materials into Spanish and English.

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 using principles, methods, practices, and hazardous material regulations, and legal requirements of motor carrier safety.
  • Experience applying fact-finding and investigative techniques such as interviewing, conducting discussions, performing analytical reviews, interpreting information, and using persuasive communication to gather data, identify issues, and contribute to resolving problems.
  • Experience in conducting roadside inspections of commercial trucks and buses.

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.

*Note: Please refer to the EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS section of the announcement to see which degrees are applicable.

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. Accountability - Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work. Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
  2. Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
  3. Developing Others - Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.

 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/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/

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.

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

Education

If qualifying on Education alone:

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.

Additional information

CONTINUATION OF CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • DRIVERS LICENSE: You must drive a motor vehicle in order to drive to and from assigned trucking companies to conduct compliance reviews and/or audits. The incumbent must maintain a valid State driver's license to perform these official duties.
  • TRAINING:  If you have not previously completed FMCSA Academy training, you must successfully complete a residential 9-week formal training course. Travel to and from this residential training will be paid as allowed by government travel regulations. Individuals who do not successfully complete the training academy will be separated from employment with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
  • CONDITIONS OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT:  You must maintain certification as defined by FMCSA which consists of satisfactorily completing thirty-two (32) Level I or V commercial driver/vehicle Inspections annually (annually meaning every fiscal year).
  • TRAVEL: You may be required to travel to a foreign country; e.g. Mexico or Canada, to carry out work assignments.
  • OVERNIGHT TRAVEL:  Overnight travel, ranging from approximately 1 to 3 weeks per month, away from the official duty station is required.
  • 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. 
  • PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:  This position requires a considerable amount of physical activity involving regular and recurring periods of standing, bending, climbing, stooping in and around large commercial motor vehicles in various weather conditions.

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 80) and provide all of the following documents:  

  • your most recent performance appraisal,
  • the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
  • your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.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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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

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, FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States

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