Job Announcement Number: FTA.R5-2016-0002
SALARY RANGE: $64,650.00 to $100,000.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD: Thursday, January 14, 2016 to Wednesday, January 20, 2016SERIES & GRADE: GS-0020-11/12 (Open to All U.S. Citizens) JAC
POSITION INFORMATION: Full Time - Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 12
DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy in the following location: Chicago, IL
WHO MAY APPLY:Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen.
This job is also 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: FTA.R5-2016-0003
SECURITY CLEARANCE:Public Trust - Background Investigation
SUPERVISORY STATUS:No
JOB SUMMARY:About the AgencyThe position is located in the Office of Planning and Program Development for Federal Transit Administration Region V, Chicago, Illinois and is under the supervision of the office director. This office is responsible for the oversight of state/local planning and programming activities leading up to and including the award of all grants related to all FTA programs. The incumbent is responsible for assisting in the administration of regional activities related to project development. Project development activities include assisting grantees and other local and State agencies in compliance with FTA, state and metropolitan planning regulations, and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT: This position is perfect for entry to mid-level planner seeking a career with the Federal Transit Administration, and opportunity to apply project management, and technical skills to public transit and/or public works projects.
NOTE: If selected for an interview for this position – at the interview stage, candidates will be given a particular topic to use to draft a writing sample.
TRAVEL REQUIRED: Occasional Travel. Frequent Travel of up to 10% may be required.
RELOCATION AUTHORIZED: No
KEY REQUIREMENTS:
- You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify.
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
- Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date
- Job announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 30 days.
- Announcement also advertised to status applicants: FTA.R5-2016-0003
DUTIES:At the full performance level, the Community Planner:
- Monitors and reviews the state and metropolitan transportation planning process to ensure that an efficient transportation program is developed which is consistent with local, state and Federal objectives.Limit the duties listed to the top 5 or so based on the job analysis, not the PD.
- Coordinates grant program, funding and project issues with other US DOT modes and other Federal agencies (e.g., HUD, EPA, DOL, etc.).
- Represents FTA through oral and written communications in meetings at Regional and Headquarters levels and in the field with state and local governments, transit operators, MPO, representatives of public and privately owned carriers, and various public and private groups concerned with transit matters.
- Provides engineering and project management assistance to program managers, senior staff and grantees. The objective is to insure that projects are properly designed and managed to achieve the approved purpose and are completed on schedule.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
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 specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
For the GS-11, to qualify on Experience, you must have one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the following:
- Experience planning, coordinating, or monitoring planning projects, or studies, or carrying out operating assignments, which involve planning problems that are conventional in nature, but of considerable scope.
- Experience with state and/or metropolitan transportation planning processes to ensure that an effective and efficient transportation program is developed which is consistent with required objectives. To qualify on Education, you must have: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.You can also qualify on a combination of higher level graduate education and matching experience.
For the GS-12, to qualify on Experience, you must have one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the following:
- Experience planning, coordinating, or monitoring planning projects, or studies, or carrying out operating assignments, which involve planning problems that are conventional in nature, but of considerable scope.
- Experience providing technical assistance with program and project management. There is no educational substitute at the GS-12.
MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: 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.
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.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
Telework: Manager may exercise discretion to allow a limited amount of regular or task-based telework for this position.
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 non-veterans. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package. If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers.
To preview questions please click here.BENEFITS:You can review our benefits at:
https://jobs.mgsapps.monster.com/dot/vacancy/preview!benefits.hms?orgId=2&jnum=73579OTHER 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: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 posting.
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, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET) at (202) 366-1298. You may also email us at Transjobs@dot.gov.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:The following documents must be provided by the close date:
- RESUME - Needs to be created within USA Jobs Resume Builder. It must show relevant experience, education, and fully support the required specialized experience.
- COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE
- TRANSCRIPTS - verifying that you meet the stated education requirements, if you are qualifying based on education.
- 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.
- 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 appointments.Documents 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 TRANSIT 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 USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applications"). Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. Qualified candidates will be assigned a score between 70 and 100, not including points that may be assigned for veterans' preference. The most highly qualified candidates are then referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, we will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
