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Transportation Specialist, Federal Highway Admin., USDOT - Harrisburg, PA


Job Title:Transportation Specialist, GS-2101-12 (Open to All U.S. Citizens) ARC
Department:Department Of Transportation
Agency:Federal Highway Administration
Job Announcement Number:FHWA.ATL-2013-0021

SALARY RANGE:

$68,890.00 to $89,450.00 / Per Year

OPEN PERIOD:

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 to Friday, December 07, 2012

SERIES & GRADE:

GS-2101-12

POSITION INFORMATION:

Full Time - - Permanent

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

12

DUTY LOCATIONS:

1 vacancy - Harrisburg, PA, USView Map

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen.
A separate job announcement is being advertised for applicants eligible for status consideration.  Current and former status employees and veterans who qualify under VEOA are encouraged to also apply to announcement: FHWA.ATL-2013-0020.

JOB SUMMARY:

Real solutions to meet genuine challenges. Innovative ideas to take on growing realities. That's the Federal Highway Administration - Leaders in Paving the Way on the Road to Success.
You will serves on the Program Development Team in the Pennsylvania Division of the Federal Highway Administration as a transportation specialist. You will serve a dual role of Environmental Specialist and Transportation Planner for the Division and participates in the management and oversight of the Division’s Statewide Environment Programs, the Metropolitan and Statewide Planning Program, and Data transfer activities with the State. 
Using knowledge of laws, regulations, guidance, and policies in environmental, transportation, and planning fields, the position will promote interagency coordination and consultation among the FHWA, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), federal and state regulatory and resource agencies, and the Metropolitan and statewide transportation planning organizations in Pennsylvania.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced mid career environmental specialist and/or transportation planner who has sound experience with the laws, rules, regulations governing environmental  and transportation planning issues as it relates to highways and transportation.  The person should also possess excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills; be a team player, and flexible.  This position is also good for a person who wants to be challenged, desires a professional career with the Federal government, and is looking for outstanding benefits.

    KEY REQUIREMENTS


  • Must be a U.S. Citizen and meet specialized experience
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
  • Provide all required documents by closing date
  • Position is telework eligible
  • Announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 30 days
  • Job also announced as Merit Promotion: FHWA.ATL-2013-0020

DUTIES:

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As a Transportation Specialist, you will:
  • Be responsible for interpretation and application of Federal environmental regulations and policy.  Responsible for the review, analysis, comments and recommendations to DOT and local governments of draft environmental documents for Federal-aid highway projects.
  • Provide leadership coordination and authoritative technical assistance and guidance to Division Office personnel, DOT and local governments regarding current environmental laws, regulations, and executive orders including Section 4(f), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, etc. 
  • Provide leadership, coordination, authoritative technical and administrative guidance to the State and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) in ensuring and managing the required statewide and metropolitan transportation planning program. 
  • Review, analyze, comment, make recommendations and approve (if applicable) the metropolitan unified planning work program (UPWP), long range transportation plans, transportation improvement programs (TIP) and other required planning products. 
  • Collaborate with FTA and other staff, to develop the information necessary for the desk review for the Metropolitan Planning Certification reviews.
  • Review, evaluate, and prepare comments on technical reports prepared by various entities.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

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To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
LEVEL
To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the following:
GRADE 12
  • Experience applying planning concepts, principles, and practices to provide advice in the development of transportation processes consistent with Federal laws, regulations and guidance.
  • Experience working in transportation planning to the extent that you can provide oversight, coordination, technical advice, analysis, and guidance to persons within and outside the organization concerning unified planning work programs, transportation improvement programs, and transportation plans.
  • Experience working in the environmental  field to the extent that you can ensure compliance with environmental policies and regulations and that you can review, comment on, and make recommendations on environmental documents.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Government Travel Card - You must be able to obtain and retain a Government contractor-issued travel card to be used for official business as a condition of employment. If unable to obtain and/or retain a card, you may be subject to removal. Those who fail to meet this condition of employment will have our offer of employment rescinded.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over nonveterans. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If your resume does not support the specialized experience, or if your application does not support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions, your final rating may be modified and/or you may be disqualified from consideration.


To preview questions please click here.

BENEFITS:

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Benefits include health and life insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement benefits. Explore the major benefits offered to most Federal Employees here. This position is telework eligible.

OTHER INFORMATION:

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

HOW TO APPLY:

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You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
  • To begin, click the Apply Online button on the job announcement.
  • Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
  • You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.
If you are having difficulty applying online, send an email to transjobs@dot.gov or call us at (202)366-1298.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following documents must be provided by the close date:
  • RESUME - Showing relevant experience and education and fully supporting the required specialized experience.
  • COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE
  • VETERANS - In order to be considered as a preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD214. Your DD214 need not be official but must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty.  If you are claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability.
  • SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS - If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility (e.g. military spouse or persons with disabilities), you must provide appropriate supporting documentation such as PCS orders describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability, etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointmentsDocuments are only required if requesting non-competitive consideration.
  • DISPLACED EMPLOYEE PLACEMENT DOCUMENTS: Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP/ICTAP. You must submit ALL of the following: (1) your most recent performance appraisal, (2) the proof of
    eligibility letter from the Agency, and (3) your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade. In addition, you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (falling in the gold category).
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

Automated Staffing Office
Phone: 202-366-1298
Fax: 571-258-4052
Email: TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Agency Information:
DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, DC
20590
US
Fax: 571-258-4052

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You may check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account. Within two weeks of the closing date, your application will be reviewed and rated. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring manager will contact you directly. Once a hiring decision is made, we will notify all applicants of their final status.

Community Planner, USDOT - Salem, OR


Job Title:Community Planner, GS-0020-9/11/12 (Open to All U.S. Citizens) ARC
Department:Department Of Transportation
Agency:Federal Highway Administration
Job Announcement Number:FHWA.LKD-2013-0022

SALARY RANGE:

$50,021.00 to $94,300.00 / Per Year

OPEN PERIOD:

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 to Thursday, December 06, 2012

SERIES & GRADE:

GS-0020-09/12

POSITION INFORMATION:

Full Time - - Permanent

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

12

DUTY LOCATIONS:

1 vacancy - Salem, OR, USView Map

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen.
A separate job announcement is being advertised for applicants eligible for status consideration.  Current and former status employees and veterans who qualify under VEOA are encouraged to also apply to announcement: FHWA.LKD-2013-0016.

JOB SUMMARY:

Real solutions to meet genuine challenges. Innovative ideas to take on growing realities. That's the Federal Highway Administration - Leaders in Paving the Way on the Road to Success.
The employee is a staff specialist in the assigned transportation planning program area(s) with responsibility for overseeing and administering Federal-aid transportation planning programs and activities that lead to the development of transportation plans and work products that meet requirements and program objectives and lead to implementable transportation projects or programs. Provides advice and guidance to State Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organization(s) (MPO), and local government officials regarding assigned areas of the Federal-Aid Transportation Planning program.
The ideal candidate for this position is an entry level to midcareer professional in transportation planning who has the skills and abilities to effectively represent the agency to Federal, state, and local officials and the general public.  This candidate has good communication skills and desires to work in a challenging, complex, innovative environment.

    KEY REQUIREMENTS


  • Must be a U.S. Citizen and meet specialized experience
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
  • Provide all required documents by closing date
  • Position is telework eligible
  • Announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 30 days

DUTIES:

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As a Community Planner, you will:
  • Provide guidance and technical assistance to Division staff, state Department of Transportation and MPO staffs on Federal planning requirements, policies, and procedures. Negotiate working agreements, exchanges and reviews information, and resolves problems. 
  • Oversee the development of transportation planning processes, programs, and products such as long- range transportation plans, the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). 
  • Meet with and provides guidance and technical assistance to Division staff, state Department of Transportation and MPO staffs on Federal planning requirements, policies, and procedures.
  • Provide leadership and support to other disciplines in integrating transportation planning analysis and decision-making into other parts of the project development process. 
  • Provide leadership and influence in key transportation planning decisions. This includes activities such as those related to Statewide Planning and Research Programs (SPR), Statewide Transportation Planning Products, Metropolitan Planning products, and the Unified Planning Work Program. 
  • Oversee the development of transportation planning processes, programs, and products such as long- range transportation plans, the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). 
  • Evaluate the adequacy of public involvement/participation processes and procedures to include activities such as the development of the STIP and TIP.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

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To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. 
LEVEL
To qualify on Education, you must have:
To qualify on Experience, you must have one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the following:
GRADE 9
2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR master's or equivalent graduate degree
  • Experience collecting, drafting, and analyzing transportation-related data to make recommendations related to transportation features for a community; and experience communicating with others to gather, discuss, and explain or present data

You can also qualify based on a combination of education and experience

GRADE 11
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
Experience in transportation planning that entailed consideration of the interplay of various modes of transportation. This experience may have included performing work, such as or related to the following:
  • Reviewing transportation products/documents and preparing comments and recommendations;
  • Providing advice and guidance on transportation planning at a local, regional, state, or national level;
  • Researching information and developing presentations on a variety of transportation planning topics;
  • Reviewing transportation programs and making recommendations for improvement; or
  • Coordinating with other technical specialists on transportation planning products.

You can also qualify based on a combination of Education and Experience

GRADE 12
There is no education substitute
  • Experience in transportation planning that entailed consideration of the interplay of various modes of transportation.
  • Experience developing and/or evaluating transportation planning and program development processes at a local, regional, state, or national level; and
  • Experience in representing the organization at public meetings and conferences.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

In order to qualify for this series, you must meet the following education/experience requirements:
  • You must have completed a full 4-year course of study at an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in community planning or a related field such as urban affairs, architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, sociology, geography, economics, political science, or public administration that included at least 12 semester hours in the planning process, socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, urban and regional economic analysis, and development finance, from an accredited college or university.
Note: Applicants with degrees in related fields, such as those listed above, who do not have the 12 semester hours of specified course work must have had at least 1 year of work experience in community planning acquired under the supervision and guidance of a community planner.
OR
  • You must have a combination of education and experience--courses equivalent to a major in one of the above disciplines, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the above disciplines of which at least 12 semester hours were in the planning process, and socioeconomic and physical elements of planning, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Government Travel Card - You must be able to obtain and retain a Government contractor-issued travel card to be used for official business as a condition of employment. If unable to obtain and/or retain a card, you may be subject to removal. Those who fail to meet this condition of employment will have our offer of employment rescinded.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over nonveterans. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If your resume does not support the specialized experience, or if your application does not support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions, your final rating may be modified and/or you may be disqualified from consideration.

To preview questions please click here.

BENEFITS:

Back to top
Benefits include health and life insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement benefits. Explore the major benefits offered to most Federal Employees here. This position is telework eligible.

OTHER INFORMATION:

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

HOW TO APPLY:

Back to top
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.
  • To begin, click the Apply Online button on the job announcement.
  • Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
  • You may review your saved application(s) at https://my.usajobs.gov.
If you are having difficulty applying online, send an email to transjobs@dot.gov or call us at (202)366-1298.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following documents must be provided by the close date:
  • RESUME - Showing relevant experience and education and fully supporting the required specialized experience.
  • COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE
  • TRANSCRIPTS - Verifying that you meet the stated education requirements for the series OR an SF-50 showing that you have already qualified and worked in the federal service in this series. The transcripts need not be official.
  • TRANSCRIPTS (for grades 7 thru 11): if you are substituting education for experience.
  • VETERANS - In order to be considered as a preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD214. Your DD214 need not be official but must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty.  If you are claiming preference eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must submit proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally a valid letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability.
  • SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS - If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility (e.g. military spouse or persons with disabilities), you must provide appropriate supporting documentation such as PCS orders describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability, etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointmentsDocuments are only required if requesting non-competitive consideration.
  • DISPLACED EMPLOYEE PLACEMENT DOCUMENTS: Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP/ICTAP. You must submit ALL of the following: (1) your most recent performance appraisal, (2) the proof of
    eligibility letter from the Agency, and (3) your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade. In addition, you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (falling in the gold category).
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

Automated Staffing Office
Phone: 202-366-1298
Fax: 571-258-4052
Email: TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Agency Information:
DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, DC
20590
US
Fax: 571-258-4052

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You may check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account. Within two weeks of the closing date, your application will be reviewed and rated. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring manager will contact you directly. Once a hiring decision is made, we will notify all applicants of their final status.