Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer)
About This Position
The Lead Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer) functions as the Division focal point and technical expert for the promotion, coordination, implementation, and monitoring the various highway safety standards, regulations, and practices as they apply to roadside design, construction work zones, and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The incumbent promotes the development and implementation of state-of-the-art technologies to meet safety related requirements.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience in resolving technical issues and problems on highway safety matters related to design, construction, maintenance, and/or operations; AND Experience in highway safety programs and applications, such as road safety audits, traffic safety studies, roadway departure strategies to reduce crashes, intersection safety improvements, the Safe System Approach, and/or other Safety Programs; AND Experience in highway engineering and traffic engineering as it relates to highway safety appurtenances, roadside design practices, work zone safety, the MUTCD, the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide, the AASHTO Highway Design Greenbook, the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), the Highway Safety Manual, Crash Modifications Factors, and/or the Highway Capacity Manual. Although you must meet the mandatory education requirement, you cannot qualify for GS-12 and above grades based solely on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above for this grade.
Although you must meet the mandatory education requirement, you cannot qualify for GS-12 and above grades based solely on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above for this grade. 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: Civil Engineering – Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems. Safety Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods to identify, control, mitigate, and eliminate safety hazards in the design and use of facilities, equipment, operations, and work processes.
Communications - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; attends to nonverbal cues; and responds appropriately. Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. 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.
Major Duties
As a Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer), you will: Provide early safety consideration in the planning, design, and construction phases of highway projects; and provide for improved safety hardware and related highway elements. Provide expert technical guidance and training on highway safety appurtenances and roadside design and promote state-of-the-art installations on highway projects. Perform a variety of safety studies, including Road Safety Audits, to identify deficient conditions affecting traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety; and participate with Federal Lands Management Agencies in the implementation and maintenance of safety management systems on Federal Lands.
Coach the team in the selection and application of appropriate problem-solving methods and techniques, provide advice on work methods, practices and procedures, and assist the team and/or individual members in identifying the parameters of a viable solution. Provide or oversee technical assistance in the selection and award of consultant services contracts by collaborating with the acquisitions department and preparing the description and scope of work, reviewing submittals and deliverables, preparing estimates, and collaborating with the acquisitions department and participating in negotiations. The ideal candidate is an experienced engineer who functions as the Division focal point for promoting, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring various safety policies, standards, and practices.
This position is for a technically oriented employee who applies safety principles and practices to the design and construction phases of highway projects, including improving safety hardware, roadway geometric elements, and work zone operations. The ideal candidate will possess excellent oral and written communication skills.
Conditions of Employment
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.
PCS/RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection and a service agreement may be required. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Applicants may be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding. PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
Education
MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: A. DEGREE: ENGINEERING --To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. <B>OR</b> B. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE -- College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering.
The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1 , or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration.
For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
- Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
- Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
- Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive).
All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an engineering position. Transcripts are required for this position.
How You Will Be Evaluated
For this announcement, applications will be reviewed to determine if the applicant meets the basic qualifications for this position. The applications of individuals who meet the basic qualifications will be assessed to validate that the applicant possesses the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) at the level of proficiency needed to perform the job successfully. Applicants who are found to possess the necessary KSAs to perform the job may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Additional Information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that 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 violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, [email protected]. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
How to Apply
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date 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 application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/ If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: [email protected]
Required Documents
RESUME: In accordance with the OPM memorandum titled Merit Hiring Plan, dated May 29, 2025, resumes with a maximum of two (2) pages in length will be accepted as part of your application. These should be legible and in a readable font size. A determination of your eligibility and/or qualifications will be based only on those two (2) pages.
Your resume MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates 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 education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED if there is a stated education requirement for the series OR if you are substituting education for experience. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements. ENGINEERS: If you are applying to an engineering position and are qualifying based on possessing a current Professional Engineer (PE) license, or passing the Engineer in Training (EIT) exam, please provide a copy of PE license or written documented proof of passing the EIT.
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the standards for this vacancy 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. Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system.
You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.