Duties

Summary

You will serve as a Program Analyst in the Office of Chief Counsel, Operations and Administration Division. The Program Analyst primarily provides analyst support to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) suspension and debarment program, but also may provide analyst assistance to FHWA FOIA and other legal programs as assigned.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The FHWA supports State and local governments in the design, construction, and maintenance of the Nation's highway system and various federally and tribal owned lands. Through financial and technical assistance to State and local governments, FHWA is responsible for ensuring that America's roads and highways continue to be among the safest and most technologically sound in the world. FHWA's mission helps to create jobs and ensure that infrastructure supports robust U.S. economic growth.

As a Program Analyst, you will:

• Evaluate Suspension and Debarment case documents and perform legal and non-legal research needed to determine facts of the case. Typical research sources include legal databases, agency administrative documents, and civil and criminal dockets in State and Federal courts.
• Perform intake activities for Suspension and Debarment case creation, including establishing electronic and hard copy case files.
• Assist with drafting, editing, and review of memoranda, notices, correspondence, briefings, program reports, and other documents as needed, to support the agency's Suspension and Debarment decision-making process. Verify that documents reflect clearly written and well-structured analysis, and use correct citations, legal references, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
• Assist FHWA customers throughout initial FOIA request process to ensure compliance with applicable law, DOT FOIA regulations, and FHWA FOIA procedures.
• Perform FOIA administrative tasks such as handling the intake of appeals, assigning initial FOIA requests to the appropriate Division, logging FOIA requests into the FOIA database, and preparing procedurally required letters to requesters
• Conduct legal research, analyze FOIA appeals in light of legal precedent, and draft proposed responses to FOIA appeals.
• Assist in processing HQ FOIA responses to initial requests by applying FOIA statute, regulations, procedure, and applicable case law.

The ideal candidate is a hard-working, detail-oriented, analyst, paralegal, or attorney with strong computer skills who has successfully performed legal research and analysis and caseload management and tracking for a private law firm or government agency. This individual presents the results (orally and in writing) in a clear and concise manner, often working under tight deadlines. In addition, the ideal candidate has had some experience working in the suspension and debarment area and processing FOIA requests or appeals.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel is required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must 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
• Announcement also advertised U.S. Citizens: FHWA.HCC-2019-0002.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• 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 to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. 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.
• ETHICS/CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: All employees are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 2635, including restrictions on owning financial interests that may conflict with performance of their duties. Some employees, like those involved in contracting or regulating non-Federal entities, are subject to Executive Branch Financial Disclosure requirements set out in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 263.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the 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 specialized experience equal of equivalent to the GS-09, in at least THREE of the following areas:

• Experience preparing and processing legal documents;
• Experience applying laws and regulations to cases evaluate claims in the case;
• Experience monitoring cases to ensure deadlines are met;
• Experience utilizing electronic database(s) to track and report on the progress of cases;
• Experience processing FOIA requests or appeals and/or providing assistance regarding application of FOIA exemptions;
• Experience analyzing evidence in support of and drafting suspension and/or debarment decisions.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-11 on education, you must have:

• 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, J.D., or equivalent doctoral degree.
• You can also qualify based on a combination of education and experience.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-12 on experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal of equivalent to the GS-11, in at least FOUR of the following areas:

• Experience preparing and processing legal documents;
• Experience applying laws and regulations to cases to evaluate claims in the case;
• Experience monitoring cases to ensure deadlines are met;
• Experience utilizing electronic database(s) to track and report on the progress of cases;
• Experience processing FOIA requests or appeals and/or providing assistance regarding application of FOIA exemptions;
• Experience analyzing evidence in support of and drafting suspension and/or debarment decisions.

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

TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-13 on experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal of equivalent to the GS-12, which includes:

• Experience processing FOIA requests or appeals and/or providing assistance regarding application of FOIA exemptions;
• Experience analyzing evidence in support of and drafting suspension and/or debarment decisions;
• Experience utilizing electronic database(s) to track and report on the progress of cases.

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-13 level, you must have experience.

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.

Education

Additional information

When promotion potential is shown, you will be eligible for promotion on a non-competitive basis; however, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotion(s) to you if you are selected. Future promotion(s) will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to a higher level, and administrative approval

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

EEO STATEMENT: The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

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.

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position.

Your application will be rated on the extent and 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, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.

Top rated applicants may be afforded one or more interviews and asked to complete a practical exercise and/or provide a writing sample. The results of the interview(s), practical exercise, and writing sample will be considered in the hiring process.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

ALL Applicants must provide a resume that fully supports the required specialized experience and was created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and respond to the vacancy questions by the closing date of the vacancy.

The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying.

TRANSCRIPTS - Transcripts are if you are substituting education for experience. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.

• If you have previously held a government position in the same series as this position, you may be able to provide an SF-50 showing that you have already qualified and worked in the federal service in this series.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and will be forwarded to the selecting official as support in consideration of your application in the evaluation process. To receive due weight, you must submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated within the last 18 months (i.e. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).

VETERANS: Your last DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility. It need not be official.

• If you are applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214.
• 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. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
• If you are applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) ( https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa ), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214, which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

STATUS APPLICANTS: If seeking eligibility consideration as status/agency/DOT employee, you must provide proof of eligibility in the form of an SF-50. Your SF-50 must verify the highest grade held competitively, full performance level of position, and eligibility as a status applicant. Please do not submit an Award SF-50, as these are often incomplete and do not verify grade or status eligibility.

NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.

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 85 or falling in the Gold Category) 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.

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. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.