Highway Safety Specialist (SME) (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees) at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

About the role

As a Highway Safety Specialist in NHTSA's Office of Research and Program Development, the incumbent assists management in leading national efforts to reduce traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Key duties include developing programs, providing technical guidance, and coordinating safety initiatives across all government levels. Focus areas cover impaired, drowsy, and distracted driving, seatbelt use, child passenger safety, pediatric vehicle heatstroke, and vulnerable road user safety. As a Highway Safety Specialist, you will: Develops and manages comprehensive traffic safety programs and provides technical assistance to national, regional, and State partners. Drafts and edits planning documents and initiative briefs for agency leadership. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and technical advisor for research and demonstration projects. IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Understanding of traffic safety and human behavior, vulnerable road user safety, and other risky driving behaviors. Knowledge of Federal/State program and/or policy development and technical analysis and implementation to identify problems, trends and countermeasures. 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 working on behavioral safety and public health programs aimed at reducing injuries and deaths. Experience coordinating activities with partners and stakeholders. Experience writing and editing functions related to planning and implementing the agency's priority programs and initiatives. 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 working on behavioral safety programs aimed at reducing highway crashes, injuries and deaths, particularly those related to risky driving behaviors and vulnerable road user safety. Experience serving in a liaison capacity to coordinate program activities with partners and stakeholders. Experience independent writing and editing functions related to planning and implementing the agency's priority programs and initiatives. 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 experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12 it must include: Experience developing, managing, and implementing projects and policies addressing public health, traffic safety particularly, experience with risky driving behaviors and vulnerable road user populations. Experience establishing and maintaining effective partnerships at the national, State and/or local levels in highway safety. Experience directing the preparation, coordination and processing of responses to executive level correspondence. You cannot qualify on education at the GS-13 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: Management and coordination of projects: Knowledge of methods, or tools for developing, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring costs, work, and contractor performance. Establish and maintain partnerships: Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals. Monitoring and reporting: Demonstrates a system for monitoring and reporting progress on planned program activities. Expertise in subject area: Experience working on public health and/or highway safety issues to reduce injury and/or death. 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 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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. 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).