Motor Carrier Safety Specialist

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• As a Motor Carrier Safety Specialist (Safety Investigator), you will:
• Analyze compliance review, enforcement, and inspection results, accident and incident reports, complaints, and other information to identify safety and compliance problems or trends among the motor carriers and shippers in the assigned State; assist in developing an annual area work planning guide consistent with national, regional, and division goals.
• Plan and carry out a schedule of safety, economic, security, and hazardous materials investigations of carrier and shipper operations; through personal interviews, examination of various records, and comparison with other known facts, determines whether the company is in compliance or whether the violations found indicate deliberate and conscious disregard of applicable regulations; makes a preliminary determination whether prosecution is warranted and evidence is sufficient to support enforcement action.
• Conduct investigations into alleged violations either as follow up to an investigation or in response to complaints; upon advice and approval by the supervisor, initiates enforcement investigations to develop supportive evidence of the kinds and volume needed to sustain criminal or civil forfeiture actions, cease and desist orders, or other proceedings.
• Plan and conduct unannounced roadside inspections of interstate commercial motor vehicles and driver’s documentation to determine carrier or driver compliance with applicable regulations; note deficiencies and declare out-of-service any vehicle or driver in accordance with the established Out of Service Criteria.
• Conduct in-depth investigations into the causes of highway accidents and hazardous material incidents involving motor carriers to determine whether applicable regulations or laws have been violated; develop information for use in furthering the agency’s accident prevention program.

Supervisory status

• No

Promotion Potential

• GS-12

• Selected participants are on an excepted service appointment under the Recent Graduates Program and required to serve a one year trial period, and will be evaluated for conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service at the end of one year.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• Transcript: You must submit a transcript with your application.
• Suitability: Subject to a background/suitability investigation.

• Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate Program.
• Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
• Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.
• Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.
• Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
• Applicants must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution*.
• Applicants must meet grade qualifications by start date.
• Provide all required documents by the closing date of announcement.
• Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
• TRAINING: You must successfully complete a residential 10-week formal training course. Travel to and from this residential training will be paid as allowed by government travel regulations. Individuals who do not successfully complete the training
• academy will be separated from employment with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
• 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.
• PASSPORT: You must be able to obtain and maintain an official government passport and to keep the status of that Passport valid for work related travel.
• This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

• 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.
• Individual Occupational Requirement for GS-2123:
• If qualifying solely based on education, your major of study must be – accounting, business administration, business of commercial law, commerce, economics, engineering, finance, industrial management, statistics, traffic management, transportation, motor mechanics or other fields related to the position.
• To qualify for the GS-05 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-05, it must include:
• Experience in applying safety regulations.
• Experience collecting and reviewing data.
• To qualify for the GS-05 on Education alone, you must have at least:
• A four year course of study leading to a Bachelor's degree.
• You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience.
• To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-05, it must include:
• Experience in applying Federal and/or State safety regulations.
• Experience conducting and reviewing data.
• To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone, you must have at least:
• 1 year of graduate-level education OR superior academic achievement.
• **Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.

• You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience.
• To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07, it must include:
• Experience applying safety regulations concerning trucks and buses.
• Experience reviewing, collecting, and analyzing data to prepare written summaries and reports.
• To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have:
• At least 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
• Master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• LL.B. or J.D., if related
• You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience.  
• RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY:
• *Applicants must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veterans eligibility to apply during that two year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first.
• (http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education.
• You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See "Required Documents" section for additional information.
• Applicants may refer to the U.S.Department of Education’s Institutional Accreditation System to determine whether their school/program is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx.
• 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.