Highway Safety Specialist

Highway Safety Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

Department of Transportion

Nional Highway Traffic Safety Administrion

Summary

You will serve as a Highway Safety Specialist and report to the Chief, Enforcement and Justice Services Division, Research and Program Development, Office of Safety Programs. The office has nional responsibility for developing and improving behavioral highway safety programs aimed reducing highway crashes, injuries, and dehs.

Learn more about this agency

Summary

You will serve as a Highway Safety Specialist and report to the Chief, Enforcement and Justice Services Division, Research and Program Development, Office of Safety Programs. The office has nional responsibility for developing and improving behavioral highway safety programs aimed reducing highway crashes, injuries, and dehs.

Learn more about this agency

Overview

Help

Accepting applicions

Open & closing des

05/18/2026 to 05/27/2026

Salary

$121,785 - $158,322 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 13

Locion

1 vacancy in the following locion:

Washington, DC

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

YesThis position may be eligible for situional telework. Telework approval determined by your immedie supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participing in the telework program, you required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expections for the position.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel required.

Relocion expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time - Full Time

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

13

Job family (Series)

2125 Highway Safety

Supervisory stus

No

Security clearance

Other

Drug test

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Modere Risk (MR)

Trust determinion process

Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

No

Bargaining unit stus

Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE, local 3313.

Announcement number

NHTSA.NPD-2026-0001

Control number

869694600

This job is open to

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The public

U.S. Citizens, Nionals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was elimined and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Individuals who have served least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring ph.

Clarificion from the agency

Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive stus, VEOA Applicants, AND All U.S. Citizens.

Duties

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The Highway Safety Specialist, you will :

Oversee, and coordine demonstrion projects or programs of particular sensitivity or breadth, particularly undertakings th require the integrion and synthesis of informion from multiple program areas including comprehensive knowledge of programmic content and emerging trends and issues.

Establish and maintain effective partnerships with other Department of Transportion opering administrions, other external government agencies the nional, Ste and local levels with interest in highway safety by coordining program activities, interpreting NHTSA policies and procedures, and furnishing authoritive advice.

Serve as a Contracting Officer Representive (COR) and technical advisor for various behavioral highway safety and demonstrion projects within assigned areas of responsibility by developing procurement documents including stements of work and cost estimes and coordine implemention of programmic efforts with approprie NHTSA elements, contractors/consultants, Ste and local agencies, professional organizions, and other recognized experts in the field.

Prepare technical reports and briefing merials regarding assigned areas of responsibility as required by Congress, the Secretary of DOT, the NHTSA Administror, and the Associe Administror, and other offices, which form the basis for the evaluion of ongoing and planned programs or presention of new concepts and programs.

The ideal candide for this position possesses experience and a solid understanding of public health issues and behavioral highway safety, injury prevention, programs, and policies, especially as they rele to traffic law enforcement countermeasures and programs. Experience as a command level law enforcement officer is preferred but not required.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S.Citizen and eligible for considerion.

You must meet specialized experience to qualify.

Required documents must be submitted by the closing de.

Submit applicion and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing de.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probionary period during which we will evalue 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 organizional goals of the agency or the Government; and

whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probionary period, your employment termined unless you receive certificion, in writing, th 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 issued and must be retained for official business only.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION : You required to complete a background/security investigion and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probionary period (unless already completed).

TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks the next lower grade in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch to sisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under deleged examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probionary period (unless already completed).

Qualificions

To meet the minimum qualificions for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements. considerion.

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

Experience with behavioral highway safety, injury prevention, public health and traffic law enforcement programs.

Experience in behavioral traffic safety program development and stregies, specifically regarding speed management, impaired driving, distracted driving, and other risky driving behaviors.

Experience in carrying out traffic enforcement operions utilizing evidence-based components.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualificions evalued on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

Behavioral Highway Safety: Knowledge of behavioral highway safety programs and research.

Partnering: Develops networks and builds alliances; collabores across boundaries to build stregic relionships and achieve common goals.

Law Enforcement: Knowledge of skills required to implement advanced traffic enforcement operions utilizing evidence-based frameworks.

For all types of considerion, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through Nional Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizions (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 th transles directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

For additional informion about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:

All applicants must meet all qualificion requirements by the closing de of this announcement.

Educion

This job does not have an educion qualificion requirement.

Additional informion

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportion and its Opering Administrions from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before th individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violion of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportion by email , ... . To learn more, please our page : The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportion

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

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Candides should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passione about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United Stes Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.

How you evalued

You evalued for this job based on how well you meet the qualificions above.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ applicion does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed informion upon which to make a qualificion determinion. Please ensure th your resume contains specific informion such as position titles, beginning and ending des 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.

All applicants: Your applicion reviewed in two phases determine how you move forward in the hiring process. Phase I: Your resume reviewed to determine your technical qualificions for this position based on the required specialized experience. ONLY two (2) pages of your resume reviewed. Additional informion beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed. Applicants passing Phase I will move on to the Phase II of the assessment process where your applicion reviewed and red based on the KSAs/Competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Mter Expert (SME).

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Benefits

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents

Required Documents

Help

RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, ded May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length accepted as part of your applicion. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determinion of your eligibility and/or qualificions based only on those two (2) pages.

Your resume MUST contain specific informion th can be used to make a qualificion determinion , including employment beginning and ending des for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and educion, as well as support the required specialized experience.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documention may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in considerion of your applicion. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (ded within 18 months) showing the official ring of record, signed by a supervisor, or stement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documention ded within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).

VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certifice of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, th shows the type of discharge and all des of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.

If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under cegory ring and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).

If 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 indicing the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.

If applying to a vacancy opened Stus and you are requesting considerion under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) ( ), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service des, reason for separion, OR certificion of separion th shows a discharge de within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for considerion under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) th verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For considerion for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a de th is least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50. Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks' time-in-grade requirements.

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

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting considerion 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 least an 80) 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.

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

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing de of the vacancy will result in your removal from considerion for this position. Please review your applicion prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all approprie documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your applicion to our system. You must verify th the documents are in the system with your applicion prior to final submission.

How to Apply

Help

You must submit a complete applicion package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no ler than 11:59 (EST) on the closing de of the announcement.

To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.

Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.

You may review your saved applicion(s)

If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automed Staffing Office via email : ...

Agency contact informion

Automed Staffing Office

Phone

...

Fax

...

...

Address

DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN

Submit Applicion and Documents Online

1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50

Washington, District of Columbia 20590

United Stes

Next steps

You may check your applicion stus by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applicions"). Within two weeks of the closing de, a Human Resources Specialist will evalue your applicion. Rings determined based on the documents and informion received by the closing de. Qualified candides assigned a cegory, not including points th may be assigned for veterans' preference. If the vacancy is advertised under stus, your applicion scored on a scale between 70 - 100. The most highly qualified candides are then referred to the hiring manager for further considerion. If the vacancy was advertised under cegory ring, then the approprie veteran's preference applied. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final stus.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probionary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodion policy

Selective Service

Signure and false stements

Social security number request

Required Documents

Help

RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, ded May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length accepted as part of your applicion. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determinion of your eligibility and/or qualificions based only on those two (2) pages.

Your resume MUST contain specific informion th can be used to make a qualificion determinion , including employment beginning and ending des for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles. If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and educion, as well as support the required specialized experience.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documention may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in considerion of your applicion. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (ded within 18 months) showing the official ring of record, signed by a supervisor, or stement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documention ded within the last 18 months (i.e. performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc.).

VETERANS: Your last DD214 (member 4 copy), Certifice of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, th shows the type of discharge and all des of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.

If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under cegory ring and wish to be considered as a preference eligible, you need to submit a copy of your DD214 (member-4 copy).

If 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 indicing the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.

If applying to a vacancy opened Stus and you are requesting considerion under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) ( ), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service des, reason for separion, OR certificion of separion th shows a discharge de within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for considerion under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) th verify your highest competitive grade, full performance level, and eligibility as a federal applicant. DO NOT submit an award SF-50 as these often do not verify grade or eligibility. For considerion for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a de th is least 52 weeks prior to the job announcement closing. We recommend submitting your last promotion SF-50 or within-grade increase SF-50. Pay adjustment raise SF-50s for the current year will not support the 52 weeks' time-in-grade requirements.

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

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting considerion 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 least an 80) 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.

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

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing de of the vacancy will result in your removal from considerion for this position. Please review your applicion prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all approprie documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your applicion to our system. You must verify th the documents are in the system with your applicion prior to final submission.

How to Apply

Help

You must submit a complete applicion package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no ler than 11:59 (EST) on the closing de of the announcement.

To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.

Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.

You may review your saved applicion(s)

If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automed Staffing Office via email : ...

Expand Hide how to apply

Agency contact informion

Automed Staffing Office

Phone

...

Fax

...

...

Address

DOT, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMIN

Submit Applicion and Documents Online

1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50

Washington, District of Columbia 20590

United Stes

Next steps

You may check your applicion stus by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applicions"). Within two weeks of the closing de, a Human Resources Specialist will evalue your applicion. Rings determined based on the documents and informion received by the closing de. Qualified candides assigned a cegory, not including points th may be assigned for veterans' preference. If the vacancy is advertised under stus, your applicion scored on a scale between 70 - 100. The most highly qualified candides are then referred to the hiring manager for further considerion. If the vacancy was advertised under cegory ring, then the approprie veteran's preference applied. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final stus.

Expand Hide next steps

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probionary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodion policy

Selective Service

Signure and false stements

Social security number request

Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 05/18/2026 to 05/27/2026 Salary $121,785 - $158,322 per year Pay scale & grade GS 13 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: Washington, DC Remote job No Telework eligible YesThis position may be eligible for situional telework. Telework approval determined by your immedie supervisor or manager following the agency's telework policy and guidance. If participing in the telework program, you required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expections for the position. Travel Required Occasional travel - Some travel required. Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time - Full Time Service Competitive Promotion potential 13 Job family (Series) Supervisory stus No Security clearance Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Trust determinion process Financial disclosure Bargaining unit stus - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE, local 3313. Announcement number NHTSA.NPD-2026-0001 Control number 869694600