Summary This position is located in Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard, LANTAREA, Fifth District, Prevention Division, Bridge Administration (dpb) in Portsmouth, VA. Responsibilities As a Bridge Management Specialist, this position is responsible for enforcement of bridge laws, regulations and orders. Your assignments will include all bridge administration functions where the majority of the work involves very large and very complex bridge construction, modification, alteration, and drawbridge regulations projects. Being a Coast Guard (CG) civilian makes you a valuable member of the CG team. Typical work assignments include: Reviews and makes recommendations on the documentation of permit applications submitted by bridge owners for the construction of new bridges; and the replacement, modification, or other needed work of existing bridges to ensure compliance. Prepares drafts of Notices of Proposed Rulemaking and Final Rules for publication in the Federal Register and items for the Local Notice to Mariners and Broadcast Notice of Mariners. Coordinates Coast Guard compliance with federal environmental control laws applicable to the Bridge Program as either Lead Federal Agency or Cooperating Agency as defined by the National Environmental Policy Act. Conducts investigations and obtains data on reported issues that may unreasonably obstruct navigation. Provides technical information and direction to bridge owners, consultants, and contractors based on experience, with drawbridge operations as related to their effect on navigation. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship is required. Applicant is required to meet the physical requirements of the position. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. A one-year probationary period may be required. This position requires a Minimum Background Investigation (MBI). The position requires a valid state driver's license. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. This includes Time-In-Grade requirements for current status employees applying through merit promotion procedures. Status applicants applying for a promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade. Qualifications Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. GS-09: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least a GS-07 in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: performing a variety of assigned bridge administrative functions requiring the selection, adaption, and application of statutory, regulatory, and precedent material related to bridges over navigable waters; interpreting and applying environmental laws, regulations, and policies to resolve environmental control problems; providing advice and guidance to program personnel; conducting comprehensive navigational and environmental reviews of recommendations for issuance/denial of bridge permits or related activities. OR Applicant must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR Applicant must have 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR Applicant must have an LL. B or J.D., if related to this position OR Applicant must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. GS-11: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least a GS-09 in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: conducting comprehensive navigational and environmental reviews of recommendations for issuance/denial of bridge permits or related activities; Developing decision analyses, records of decision, and legal permit documents, providing substantive written/oral advice, policy guidance and training on related issues; Examining case file documentation concerning bridge permits or related activities (e.g., location, design type, project plans, navigational orientation, environmental consequences); Examining and corroborating the formal documentation included in the application for bridge permits. OR Applicants must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR Applicants must have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR Applicants must have an LL.M., if related to this position OR Applicant must have a combination of graduate level education beyond the first 2 years of progressive graduate study and specialized experience that together meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. GS-12: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least a GS-11 in the federal service. Examples of specialized experience include: conducting comprehensive navigational and environmental reviews of recommendations for issuance/denial of bridge permits or related activities; Developing decision analyses, records of decision, and legal permit documents, providing substantive written/oral advice, policy guidance and training on related issues; Examining case file documentation concerning bridge permits or related activities (e.g., location, design type, project plans, navigational orientation, environmental consequences); Interpreting and applying extensive reference materials (e.g., tide tables, hydraulic data, and waterway guide clearances); Examining and corroborating the formal documentation included in the application for bridge permits; Examining and verifying the applicant’s environmental assessment to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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. The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Education This position does not have a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Additional Information Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, or imprisonment. DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at click here If selection is made below the full performance level, the incumbent may be promoted up to the target grade without further competition, if all legal and regulatory requirements are met and when recommended by the supervisor. However, promotion to the full performance level is not guaranteed and is dependent on successful performance at the lower grade level(s). All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 202-643-1512. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation