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Community Planner

Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position serves as a Community Planner at the Department of Transportation. The Community Planner will serve as a key technical advisor of transportation planning programs and project development. Consultation will be provided to leadership, state level transportation offices, Metropolitan Planning Organization(s), and local government officials, regarding the programs.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/23/2022 to 05/25/2022
Salary
$79,363 to - $122,683 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel is required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes— Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DOT-2022-0346
Control number
638687300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens.

Duties

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The Community Planner:

  • Serves as an expert resource on Department of Transportation/Operating Administration (DOT/OA) procedures and guidance on transportation community planning and Federal laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and directives for one or more of the following: maritime, tribal, urban, suburban, and/or rural public transportation systems.
  • Keeps current as to recent or emerging changes affecting the program or projects.
  • Develops regulations, position papers, and instructions related to community planning aspects of DOT/OA programs.
  • Reviews the office programs in community planning for technical and program management effectiveness; makes reports and offers suggestions for improvement based on findings.
  • Provides technical advice and coordinates planning or related problems or projects with stakeholders.
  • Has a substantial and continuing responsibility for representing the organization in negotiations with officials of stakeholder organizations whose decisions and activities have important implications to the overall planning program.
  • Provides expert guidance and technical assistance to stakeholders regarding Federal transportation and community planning laws, regulations, policy, procedures, and guidance. Advises DOT/OA personnel of special transportation and community planning concerns and/or circumstances. Updates, develops, and maintains policy and procedures for all planning areas.
  • Participates with stakeholders on pertinent planning concerns relative to transportation issues, with the goal of advancing DOT/OA programs and projects while meeting all applicable social, economic, environmental, and planning requirements. Consults with appropriate managers to make recommendations and suggestions for improvement and modification of stakeholder practices to assure compliance with regulations and DOT/OA policies.
  • Prepares necessary program and project correspondence. Renders advice and operational assistance to stakeholders in matters relating to the DOT/OA transportation planning activities. Proposes streamlining procedures and guidelines to facilitate the working relationship between the DOT/OA and the stakeholder to avoid duplication of effort and unnecessary paperwork.
  • Reviews regulations, reports, procedures, and techniques pertaining to community planning matters and provides comments or recommendations. Participates in the investigation of complaints and inquiries and prepares responses as necessary.
  • Participates on interdisciplinary team reviews or activities, work groups, and task forces to address project or program issues or to ensure implementation of the planning programs.

The ideal candidate for this position is an experienced mid-career transportation planning professional skilled in managing major transportation planning programs or technical areas. This candidate is someone who has the skills and abilities to effectively represent the agency to Federal, state and local officials and the general public. The candidate is also someone with good communication, negotiation, and partnering skills, who desires to work in a challenging, complex, and innovative environment.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen and eligible for consideration.
  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • completed).
  • REMOTE WORK: If selected for a remote work position, you must have access to high speed internet and cell phone service meeting current Agency standards from the approved work location within the Contiguous United States and sign a remote work agreement.

Qualifications

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 the experience qualifications for each grade.

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

  • 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 an organization at public meetings and conferences.

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12 and it must include:

  • Experience in transportation planning that entailed consideration of the interplay of various modes of transportation;
  • Experience developing, evaluating, and/or overseeing the development of transportation planning and program development processes at a local, regional, state, or national level;
  • Experience representing an organization during public meetings and conferences and addressing programmatic and technical issues and questions raised by a range of stakeholder groups; AND
  • Experience improving or assisting others in improving transportation planning processes or programs with an emphasis on emerging areas.

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:

  • Expert knowledge of professional transportation planning concepts, principles, and practices to enable the specialist to serve as a technical authority to make recommendations to OA employees, managers, and stakeholder organizations on planning activities concerning the implementation of the program.
  • Knowledge of one or more of the following: maritime, tribal, urban, suburban, and/or rural public transportation systems; including government and private sector stakeholders and interests, sufficient to provide expert advice on issues relating to a diverse community planning perspective.
  • Knowledge of Federal laws, regulations, Executive Orders, policies, procedures, guidelines, and other technical material to interpret policy, give advice, develop operating guidance, and review and advise on planning program matters. High degree of understanding of accepted transportation planning principles, processes, and practices in addition to applicable laws, procedures and guidance involved in community planning issues. Knowledge is used to participate in detailed planning improvement projects and make recommendations for improvements to transportation systems and processes.
  • Knowledge of Federal laws, regulations, Executive Orders, policies, procedures, and guidelines which relate and/or is applicable to implementing and monitoring an effective planning program.
  • Ability to interpret laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide program management and implementation guidance and direction to DOT/OA and stakeholder personnel and to assist in formulating program policy.
  • Ability to organize, analyze, and interpret complex community planning data, problems, and situations, and identify issues and solutions.
  • Ability to communicate, individually and in groups, to serve as an expert technical resource, provide advice and consultation, serve as a representative of the DOT/OA, prepare reports and correspondence, and present information to stakeholders.

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.

Education

Mandatory Education Requirements for Community Planning Series, 0020:

Degree: Community planning; or 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.

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

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.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: 

This position is also posted Open to Government wide applicants. The announcement number is DOT-2022-0568. 

Here’s the link:  https://www.usajobs.gov/job/646401000

This is not a Bargaining unit position.

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.

*PLEASE NOTE: This is an open continuous, not to exceed one-year, vacancy.  We will review applications as needed and refer the top candidates for potential interviews during the open period of the announcement.  Duty locations will vary.  The difference in salary is determined by the locality pay in each location.  Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/

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

This position may be eligible for Remote Work.  Remote work means the residence is the full-time official duty location. The difference in salary is determined by the locality pay in each location. Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2022/general-schedule/

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. 

To compete with U.S. Citizens:  If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of two categories: Qualified and Well Qualified 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.

All applicants:  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. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


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