Equal Opportunity Specialist (Open to both U.S. Citizens and Federal Employees)

US Federal Highway Administration
Columbia, SC Full Time
POSTED ON 4/4/2024

Duties

As an Equal Opportunity Specialist, you will:

  • Serve as the Division’s field representative for matters pertaining to civil rights and equal opportunity. Communicate and provide technical assistance on civil rights program and project policies, regulations, and guidance to internal and external customers. Promote new technologies, methods, standards, and best practices to aid STA and sub-recipients in implementing effective transportation Civil Rights programs.
  • Assist with the proper interpretation, implementation, and oversight of civil rights requirements and procedures applicable to the development and implementation of the STA and its sub-recipients’ programs and services by using effective tools such as Office of Civil Rights’ directives, orders, guidance statistical data analyses, and reports.
  • Assist with the review and approval (or recommend corrective actions) of project and program documents and plans, including but not limited to, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Title VI and Nondiscrimination, State Internal Equal Employment Opportunity, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act/Americans with Disabilities Act, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) contractor Compliance/ On-The-Job Training (OJT).
  • Conduct and participate in civil rights program and process reviews or project inspections to identify areas of improvement and recommend actions.
  • Identify and participate in community outreach activities (e.g. workgroups, workshops, symposiums) aimed at educating civil rights partners and the general public about FHWA equal opportunity and nondiscrimination programs. Develop strategies to identify and resolve customer issues or concerns regarding program and project-specific situations. Develop materials on Civil Rights topics and present at conferences and meetings.

The ideal candidate is a professional with a demonstrated increasing level of experience and responsibility in applying civil rights laws, principles and practices; analyzing and investigating alleged acts of unlawful discrimination; reviewing, evaluating, and enforcing equal opportunity compliance by Government contractors and other recipients of public funds; and in related areas such as resolving complaints or providing guidance to internal and external customers on how to voluntarily resolve matters.

Requirements

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 and a service agreement may be required.
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.

Qualifications

To determine which grade(s) you may be eligible for, review the following grade specific details. You will be asked a few questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume.

For the GS-11:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level, which included:

  • Experience researching and analyzing data from civil rights/equal opportunity programs and services for compliance, such as identifying operational problems, preparing reports, and/or recommending corrective actions.

Or on Education, you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

You can also have a combination of related graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

For the GS-12:

On Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, which included both of the following:

  • Experience conducting and reporting on civil rights/equal opportunity investigations; OR monitoring and reporting on civil rights/equal opportunity activities to ensure program, project, contract, or grant compliance; AND
  • Experience reviewing and approving (or recommending corrective actions to) project and program documents and plans, such as those associated with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE), Title VI and Nondiscrimination, State Internal Equal Employment Opportunity, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act/Americans with Disabilities Act, and/or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Contractor Compliance/ On-The-Job Training (OJT).

You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 level; you must have experience.

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:

  • Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
  • Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
  • Oral Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
  • Reading - Understands and interprets written material, including technical materials, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.

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

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.

Additional information

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


  • Benefits

    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 that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn 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 information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

To compete with other competitive status government employees: If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

Eligible Federal employees also seeking consideration for noncompetitive reassignment for this position must indicate interest in the assessment. Noncompetitive federal candidates must have competitive status on a SF-50, meet minimum qualifications, have served at the same grade or higher, and held or exceeded the promotion potential of this 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.



You may preview questions for this vacancy.

  • Benefits

    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 that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn 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 information on the specific benefits offered.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    RESUME - All applicants must provide a resume created within USA Jobs Resume Builder, that shows relevant experience, education and support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes can by uploaded later in the application process.

    TRANSCRIPTS are required if you are applying based on education for the Grade 11. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.

    • Foreign education must have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. For instructions and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

    PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated 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), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.

    • If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating 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 indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
    • If applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

    FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that 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 consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at 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 for a promotion. https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/

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

    DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration 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 at least an 85) 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 consideration. 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 USAJobs 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.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • How to Apply

    You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 (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://my.usajobs.gov.

    If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov

    Agency contact information

    Automated Staffing Office

    Phone

    000-000-0000

    Fax

    000-000-0000

    Email

    TRANSJOBS@dot.gov

    Address

    DOT, FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
    Submit Application and Documents Online
    1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
    Washington, District of Columbia 20590
    United States

    Next steps

    You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com. (Select "My USAJOBS" and click "Applications"). Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. Qualified candidates will be assigned a category, not including points that may be assigned for veterans' preference. If the vacancy is advertised under status, your application will be scored on a scale between 70 - 100. The most highly qualified candidates are then referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If the vacancy was advertised under category rating, then the appropriate veteran's preference will be 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 status.

  • Fair and Transparent

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

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

RESUME - All applicants must provide a resume created within USA Jobs Resume Builder, that shows relevant experience, education and support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes can by uploaded later in the application process.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if you are applying based on education for the Grade 11. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.

  • Foreign education must have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. For instructions and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS/INCENTIVE AWARDS: If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and forwarded to the selecting official in consideration of your application. To receive credit, submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation dated 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), Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, that shows the type of discharge and all dates of active duty is required to verify your eligibility.

  • If applying to a vacancy opened to all US Citizens under category rating 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 indicating the percentage of your disability. An SF-15 is desired, but not required.
  • If applying to a vacancy opened Status and you are requesting consideration under Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) (https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/#veoa), you need to provide a copy of your last DD214 (member-4 copy), which verifies your military service dates, reason for separation, OR certification of separation that shows a discharge date within 120 days of the closing of this announcement, and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must submit SF-50(s) that 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 consideration for a promotion, Box 4 of the SF-50 must show a date that is at 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 for a promotion. https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/service/SF-50/

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

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration 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 at least an 85) 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 consideration. 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 USAJobs 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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.


Help

This job is open to

  • Individuals with disabilities

  • Federal employees - Competitive service

    Current or former competitive service federal employees.

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

  • Military spouses

  • Family of overseas employees

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

  • Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

  • The public

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

  • Special authorities

    Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.

  • Veterans

Clarification from the agency

Open to current and former Federal employees with competitive status, VEOA Applicants, AND All U.S. Citizens. This is not a Bargaining unit position.

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