Duties

As a Transportation Policy Analyst, you will:

• Perform a wide variety of research and analytical studies relating to the development and formulation of Department policy in transportation infrastructure.
• Analyze, formulate, and recommend departmental policies, plans, and guidelines related to infrastructure policy to the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, the Under Secretary for Policy, and the Secretary regarding public policy on infrastructure issues affecting the transportation sector.
• Manage the DOT's Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Discretionary Grant Program to facilitate the public and stakeholders in the application process.
• Oversee the grant project to support the funding, selection process, and ensure that applicants are debriefed on grant policies, selection criteria and program requirements.
• Provide advice on all matters and initiatives related to transportation infrastructure across the Department and encourages modal administration to adopt these strategies and initiatives.
• Identify areas where initiatives in safety, mobility, and other areas can have infrastructure-related benefits for improving transportation systems' performance and efficiency in public and private organizations.
• Analyze and determine the application of appropriate domestic and international infrastructure regulations, policies, procedures, legislation, proposals, techniques and technology in the transportation sector.
• Provide direction and/or advice at key decision points and helps ensure that policy decisions, strategic plans and reports are accurate, timely and adequately documented.

Ideal Candidate: OST is looking for an experienced to seasoned, motivated and self-reliant professional who can share their expertise in transportation infrastructure (i.e., bridges, aviation airports, railroads, navigable waterways, roads, bicycle networks, pedestrian walkways public works projects, etc.) program activities, laws, regulations, or standards as a regular and recurring part of your employment.

PLEASE NOTE : This announcement establishes an open continuous 90-day vacancy announcement. The first referral of eligible applicants will be 2 weeks from the opening date. Given our continuing need for top professionals in this field, it is anticipated that applications will be reviewed approximately once a month throughout the open period. We will give equal consideration to all applications we receive.

This position is being filled as a Schedule A appointment under 5 CFR 213.3102(i)(3) in support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This appointment is for 1 year, but may be extended for an additional year.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• This is an Excepted Service position.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
• You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for consideration.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet either the education or specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

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 researching, identifying, OR analyzing surface transportation infrastructure (e.g., bridges, railroads, maritime ports, navigable waterways, roads, transit networks, bicycle networks, pedestrian walkways public works projects, etc.) and program data (e.g., reviewing grant applications, infrastructure project plans/design documents, grant program performance, awarding/monitoring grants, etc.).

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.
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.

To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:

• Experience planning, managing, administering, evaluating, advising on, OR conducting studies in surface transportation infrastructure (i.e., bridges, railroads, maritime ports, navigable waterways, roads, transit networks, bicycle networks, pedestrian walkways, public works projects, etc.), program activities, laws, regulations, or standards involving grant/project funding compliance work as a regular part of your employment.

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.

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:

Technical Competence (Surface Transportation Infrastructure ) - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform surface transportation infrastructure work; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the development of infrastructure financing, promoting innovation in transportation infrastructure, and administering grant programs; consulting skill and advises others on technical issues; and a high degree of writing and oral communication skill.

Grants Management - Knowledge of requirements, practices, and procedures for soliciting, receiving, reviewing, and processing proposals, and awarding and administering grants and agreements.

Grants Management Laws, Regulations, and Guidelines - Knowledge of principles, laws, regulations, policies, practices, and guidelines (for example, Executive Orders, Code of Federal Regulations, OMB circulars) of grant or agreement programs, including their order of precedence.

Stakeholder Management - Knowledge of the concepts, practices, and techniques used to identify, engage, influence, and monitor relationships with individuals and groups connected to a work effort; including those actively involved, those who exert influence over the process and its results, and those who have a vested interest in the outcome (positive or negative).

Communications - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately; and writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner using correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling in a succinct and organized manner for the intended audience.

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

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.




Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE Local 3313.

COVID VACCINATION: If selected, you will be required to provide information regarding your COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.